person who is paid to undertake a specialized set of tasks and to complete them for a fee
POPULARITY
Categories
Starting Lineup Big 12 conference bans all professionals from returning in all sports What You May Have Missed
You've probably heard "a dysregulated adult can't co-regulate a child" a hundred times. But if you've ever been stuck in a store with a screaming kid — or a classroom with 17 screaming kids — and zero bandwidth left, you know how useless that advice can feel in the moment. This episode is a conversation with Chrissy D'Agostino, co-author of the new Early Years Guidebook from the Regulated Classroom, about what to do when you're with a dysregulated child, and you're dysregulated too. You'll hear practical ideas that are actually helpful for a stressed and tapped-out grown-up. In this episode, you will learn:Why relying so heavily on your voice and your words all day is quietly wearing down your nervous system The four practices (connectors, activators, settlers, affirmations) that help widen everyone's window of tolerance, at home or in the classroomWhy "meet the moment" is a more useful goal than "manage the outcome" Resources mentioned in this podcast:The Regulated Classroom → Regulated ClassroomRead the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/earlyyearsWe can't wait to review your application for the BBTI's Immersion Program for Professionals.Go now to RobynGobbel.com/apply .Applications are already streaming in and registration is starting to fill up! The new Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors hits the shelves on September 21!AND! If you pre-order TWO or more copies, you can come to Baffling Behaviors LIVE! - a day-long live event for parents and caregivers in Richmond, VA on September 21. RobynGobbel.com/LIVE Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
You're more experienced. Yay. But here's a funny. Just because you're great at your job doesn't mean you're great at interviewing for your job! I see senior professionals make mistakes in interviews that actually make them sound less senior. They dive too quickly into the activity. They explain too much. They answer about how they execute instead of elevating the conversation to show how they think. Then, when it's their turn to ask questions, they miss another ginormous opportunity. Your questions aren't just there to help you gather information. They tell the employer what you care about and how you think. You need to be able to communicate the information without polluting your answer with everything else you know. You need to start your stories at the right altitude. (This line took me a long time to come up with.
Anika sat down with Andrew Colsky to explore a powerful counterintuitive truth: by the time a client reaches out to a professional, they have already decided who they are hiring. Drawing from a 30-year career as a trial attorney, litigator, and mediator, alongside his subsequent transition into a licensed mental health clinician specializing in sleep medicine and anxiety, Andrew revealed how human behavior is fundamentally driven by the pursuit of comfort. His insights offer a fresh framework for professional service providers looking to build credibility and master the "Left of Trust" space using modern AI search engines. In This Episode The transition from trial law and employment mediation to becoming a licensed mental health clinician Why people don't hire the most qualified professional, but rather the person who makes their fear stop Harry Harlow's surrogate mother experiments and how the innate human drive for comfort dictates decision-making The concept of "Left of Trust" and the massive open space where clients search for answers late at night The new digital land grab: why optimizing for AI search engines today dictates long-term business survival Building the Credibility Generator: automating content creation, YouTube videos, and blog drafts for professionals Vocabulary seating: how using your own natural language online trains AI search engines to recommend you exclusively The free assessment tool on be-picked.com to help service providers analyze their strengths and weaknesses Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: Understanding the emotional root of why people start legal and professional processes 00:48 Welcome to Your Brand Amplified with Anika Jackson and guest Andrew Colsky 01:31 Andrew's journey from trial attorney and mediator to mental health clinician and entrepreneur 02:54 Leaving the exhausting world of litigation and finding a deeper understanding of human behavior 06:51 The new digital land grab: comparing the early days of the internet to modern AI search optimization 10:28 Expanding into behavioral sleep medicine and building a massive weekly radio audience 13:46 The overt versus covert reality of mediation rooms and the universal need for comfort 15:16 Harry Harlow's wire versus cloth monkey experiments proving comfort is a primary human need 18:40 Discovering treatments for OCD and sleep medicine that create rapid, major shifts for patients 21:00 The genesis of the Credibility Generator: automating administrative marketing hurdles for professionals 24:43 Defining "Left of Trust": the space before a client trusts you where they search for pain relief at 3:00 AM 30:31 Cognitive trust versus affective trust: factual credentials versus the feeling of alleviated distress 34:15 Leveraging digital twins and YouTube videos to answer client pain points without spending hours on camera 38:46 Why waiting to adopt AI search strategies means constantly playing catch-up 40:11 What to expect in Andrew's upcoming book Left of Trust 44:17 A free assessment tool and gold button report on be-picked.com to evaluate your marketing readiness 45:42 Maya Angelou's guiding quote on how people remember how you made them feel Key Insights & Takeaways Insight 1: Clients Hire the Person Who Makes the Fear Stop Professional service providers often lead with cognitive trust credentials—degrees, licenses, and years in practice. However, clients in pain are driven by affective trust. They choose the professional whose material makes their anxiety dissipate and moves them from a state of fear to comfort. Insight 2: Comfort is an Innate Human Necessity Above All Else Drawing from Harry Harlow's classic 1950s university experiments with baby monkeys and surrogate mothers, human beings inherently seek comfort above all else. Understanding that clients initiate legal or professional processes because they are uncomfortable and seeking a return to comfort is the foundational basis of effective communication and marketing. Insight 3: The AI Search Era is the New Internet Land Grab Just as early domain grabbers shaped the original internet, modern AI search engines represent a brand-new frontier. When clients lie awake at night searching for solutions to specific pain points, AI search engines recommend trusted authorities. Professionals who fail to publish content addressing these concerns will forever play catch-up. Insight 4: Vocabulary Seating Compounds Your Online Credibility Every professional uses unique words and phrasing to describe concepts. By consistently putting out content—such as blogs, LinkedIn posts, and videos—using your natural vocabulary, you train search engines to connect those specific terms directly to you, making you the inevitable expert clients find when they search. Insight 5: By the Time They Call, They Have Already Decided If a professional invests time into building online credibility in the "Left of Trust" space by answering specific client questions across multiple touchpoints, the client's decision is already made before the first phone call. They do not call to evaluate you; they call because they know you are the solution. Resources & Links Mentioned Be-Picked.com (Andrew's company website featuring a free 15-question strength and weakness report) Left of Trust: Clients Choose You Before They Know You (Andrew's upcoming book) The Credibility Generator (automated content tool for professional service providers) Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine About Andrew Colsky Andrew Colsky spent over 30 years as a trial attorney, litigator, and mediator, helping build what became the largest employment mediation program in the world. Driven by a lifelong fascination with human thinking and persuasion, he returned to school to earn a mental health degree, becoming a licensed mental health clinician specializing in obsessive-compulsive disorder and behavioral sleep medicine. As a radio host reaching roughly 70,000 listeners per week and an entrepreneur, he combined his legal, clinical, and technological expertise to found Be Picked and create the Credibility Generator. He helps professional service providers understand the science of fear, master the "Left of Trust" space, and build automated digital credibility. Connect with Andrew Website: https://www.be-picked.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewecolsky/ Like the show? Leave us a rating or review: https://lovethepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Follow the Show: https://followthepodcast.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Send a Message: https://podcastfeedback.com/67940257010b317cdaa9d857Check out our Website: https://www.yourbrandamplified.comSpeak to my Delphi Clone: https://www.delphi.ai/amplifywithanika Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
If you support us on Patreon, you may know that we have been doing Aftershows weekly for many years. We are releasing Aftershows from the past (two years old) on Fridays for everyone's enjoyment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDD0Rdib0FU The Professionals Aftershow This aftershow goes deep into Deep Space 9 trivia—will our hosts escape alive and with points on the board? CJ has never seen the show, so of course, he's on his own team against Greg and Phil. Thanks to our good friend Mike for the quiz. If you have an idea for a game we can play in the Aftershow, email it to us at playeronepodcast@gmail.com! Thanks for your support!
If you've started and stopped your fitness journey more times than you can count, the real thing holding you back isn't discipline. It's the fear of failing again. In this episode of Conquer the Day, Brian breaks down why repeated setbacks destroy self-trust, how the "all-in, burn-out, start-over" cycle keeps high achievers stuck, and how to finally use failure as feedback instead of proof that you can't succeed. You'll learn how to identify where your past attempts broke down, extract the lesson, build a better system, and rebuild confidence through consistent action, because confidence isn't knowing you'll never fail; it's knowing failure won't stop you. HIGHLIGHTS:
.Step inside one of the most unique corners of American healthcare as Transmission Interrupted takes you behind the scenes of the National Quarantine Unit at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine. In this episode, host Jill Morgan is joined by key members of the Nebraska team—Dr. Katie Willet, Morgan Shradar, and Angie Vasa—to explore how preparedness, partnership, and people form the backbone of the nation's only dedicated quarantine unit. Listeners will discover the origin story of this 20-bed unit, why it's different from both home quarantine and traditional hospital isolation, and how its creation was driven by real-world lessons from recent public health emergencies like the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic.From the practical logistics of care (think twice-daily health checks, concierge-level support, and even laundry service) to the psychological challenges of isolation and the intricacies of national and global collaboration, this episode sheds light on the critical thinking and teamwork required to protect both individuals and the community during high-stakes contagious threats. Hear firsthand how the UNMC and Nebraska Medicine team adapts with each new pathogen, leans on the strength of their Omaha community, and continuously trains to stay a step ahead of the next big infectious risk—demonstrating “Nebraska nice” even in the toughest circumstances.Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at info@netec.org.Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.GuestsMorgan Shradar, RN, BSN, MPHNursing Professional Development Specialist- Nebraska Biocontainment UnitCo-Director- National Disaster Medical Disaster Infectious Disease Training ProgramSubject Matter Expert NETEC & Task 2 Lead - NICSMorgan Shradar has more than 20 years of experience in the operating room and more than 14 years of experience with the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit. She has previous experience as a lead surgical nurse where she managed procedural areas (endoscopy, surgery, cardiac cath lab/interventional radiology, preop/pacu, and sterile processing). She has also managed process improvement initiatives for supply chain improvements and patient experience within procedural areas at Nebraska Medicine Bellevue. Morgan is a nurse coordinator with the Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC). She develops and leads the education and training for the RESPTC team, including education meetings, quarterly trainings, exercises, and drill development. Morgan collaborates on the education and training and policy development for the National Quarantine Unit. She actively participated in the repatriation efforts of guests from Wuhan, China, and the Diamond Princess, who required care for COVID-19. Further, she is a subject matter expert with NETEC and partners with others to evaluate readiness for RESPTCs and works with long-term care focus groups to develop education and just-in-time resources to enhance LTC setting readiness. In 2020/2021, she partnered with LTC and skilled nursing facilities on evaluating the current COVID-19 infection control practices within facilities across Nebraska. She has also partnered with Nebraska Medicine to educate and train medical teams on donning/doffing PAPRs and worked with procedural areas on developing their PAPR protocols. Morgan is a task lead with NICS, which is focused on developing XR/AR education for the small and rural hospital on infection control practices within the sterile processing department. She is also the co-director of the National Disaster Medical Response Infectious Disease Training program, which has focused on educating and training the NDMS teams on infection control practices to ready them for deployment to both austere and hospital missions. Morgan collaborates in program development and partnerships with various organizations focused on infectious disease education and training. Morgan began her career in 2000 as an operating room nurse for Nebraska Medicine, where she joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009 to play an integral role in treating patients with Ebola Virus Disease during the 2014-2015 activation.Dr. Katie Willet, MD, FACEPAssociate Professor, UNMC Department of Emergency MedicineAssociate Program Director, UNMC Department of Emergency MedicineHealth Security Fellowship Director, UNMC Department of Emergency MedicineKatie Willet, MD (she/her/hers), is an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine. She is one of the residency assistant program directors and takes part in the development of disaster preparedness and biopreparedness training for residents and other multidisciplinary trainees, both within UNMC and our external partners. She has interests in austere/wilderness medicine, disaster medicine, and biopreparedness. She also serves as the health security fellowship program director and co-creator with several partners within the Global Center for Health Security. With this, she takes part in preparedness planning, training development, and response. Similarly, she is involved with several different research and training projects with the Global Center for Health Security as well as teaching regionally about disaster preparedness. She is an assistant medical director for the National Quarantine Unit and a health security scholar with the Global Center for Health Security.Angie Vasa, MSN, RNDirector, Readiness Consultations and Metrics Development, NETECDirector, Emergency Preparedness and Special Pathogen Programs, Nebraska MedicineProgram Director, Region VII Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment CenterAngela Vasa, MSN, RN, is the Director of Emergency Preparedness and Special Pathogen Programs at Nebraska Medicine. She serves as the Director of Consulting Services and Metrics Development at NETEC and is the Program Director for the Region VII Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center. Angela is also a scholar in the Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Her nursing background includes over a decade of clinical experience with specialized expertise in the areas of trauma, critical care, solid organ transplant, and high-consequence infectious diseases. She joined the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit team in 2009, where she has cared for patients with Ebola virus disease and Lassa Fever and continues to be an active clinical member while serving as the program director.HostJill Morgan, RNEmory Healthcare, Atlanta, GAJill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)ResourcesNational Quarantine UnitGlobal Center for Health SecurityNebraska Medicine/UNMC asked to monitor U.S. citizens from cruise ship hantavirus outbreakWhat to know about Nebraska's National Quarantine Unit as it prepares to bring in hantavirus cruise ship passengersTransmission Interrupted PodcastNETEC Resource LibraryNETECAbout NETECA Partnership for PreparednessThe National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center's mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.For more information, visit NETEC on the web.NETEC Consultation ServicesAssess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.For more information, visit NETEC Consultation Services.
Disclaimer:Duly registered and duly licensed financial professionals offer securities through Equitable Advisors, LLC (NY, NY 212-314-4600), member FINRA, SIPC (Equitable Financial Advisors in MI & TN); offer investment advisory products and services through Equitable Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor; and offer annuity and insurance products through Equitable Network, LLC (Equitable Network Insurance Agency of California, LLC; Equitable Network Insurance Agency of Utah, LLC; Equitable Network of Puerto Rico, Inc.).Equitable Advisors and Equitable Network are affiliates and do not offer tax or legal advice or services. Professionals holding the CDFA® credential must follow strict ethical rules and practice standards. This designation is not a license to practice law, as they are not permitted to give legal advice. Well Lived Wealth is not owned or operated by Equitable Advisors or Equitable Network. PPG- 9009031.1(7/26)(Exp.7/30)In this episode, Holly Draper sits down with Molly Ward, a certified financial planner and certified divorce financial analyst (CDFA) and founder of Well Lived Wealth in Houston, to talk about why financial engagement — not just financial literacy — determines how well someone comes through a divorce. Molly shares her own divorce story and explains how the CDFA credential complements a family lawyer's work by translating the legal process into a concrete financial roadmap: Can I keep the house? Will I be okay? What does my life actually look like now?The conversation centers on Strangers by Belle Burden, whose account of "financial disengagement" in marriage — becoming what Molly calls a "financial ostrich" or "financial hostage" — mirrors what Molly and Holly both see in practice. They discuss the slow slide from financial co-pilot to passenger, why it disproportionately affects women, and practical takeaways for family lawyers: red flags to watch for at intake, when to loop in a CDFA, and how the book has fueled renewed interest in prenups (the "Burden Bump").In This Episode, You'll Discover:• What a CDFA is and how it differs from a CFP• The “financial ostrich” and “financial hostage” patterns Molly sees in her practice• Why each spouse should have their own CDFA• How Belle Burden's book Strangers illustrates the slow slide into disengagement• Molly's take on prenups and postnups, and the “trigger clause• When and how family lawyers should loop in a CDFA
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kurt Farquhar. Television & Film Composer, Founder of Fall Crop Productions and True Music ProNotable Credits: The King of Queens, Girlfriends, The Parkers, Being Mary Jane, The Proud Family, The Neighborhood, Black LightningAwards: 10 BMI AwardsTenure: 38+ years in television Purpose of the Interview The purpose of this interview is to educate and inspire creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals about longevity, adaptability, and wealth-building behind the scenes. Kurt Farquhar’s journey highlights how sustainable success comes from mastery of craft, relationship-building, and treating creativity as a business—not chasing visibility or fame. Rushion McDonald uses Kurt’s career as a blueprint for: Building mailbox money through residuals Staying relevant across decades of industry change Monetizing intellectual property Leveraging relationships to sustain opportunity Core Themes Discussed Longevity vs. “getting on” Behind-the-scenes success Residual income (“mailbox money”) Adaptability in changing industries Creative originality Relationship capital Diversifying income through ownership Treating art like a business Key Takeaways 1. Staying In Is Harder Than Getting In While many focus on breaking into the industry, Kurt emphasizes that lasting success requires constant reinvention. “The continuing it for the 30-plus years has been way harder than the getting in in the first.” Insight: Longevity requires discipline, humility, and evolution. 2. Behind-the-Scenes Roles Can Be More Sustainable Kurt chose composing over performing, allowing him to age into his career rather than age out of it. “In television and film… all I’ve got to say is John Williams is in his 90s and still composing.” Insight: Choose lanes that allow long-term relevance and recurring income. 3. Residual Income Is Real Wealth Rushion and Kurt discuss “mailbox money”—recurring payments from past work. “If you just had the mailbox money for King of Queens, you’d be fine.” Insight: True financial freedom comes from owning work that keeps paying. 4. Adaptability Is Non‑Negotiable Kurt has survived massive industry shifts—from analog tape to digital production—by embracing change. “Sustain that good idea, change it, polish it up, and mold it for the changing times.” Insight: Talent without adaptability becomes obsolete. 5. Originality Comes From Listening, Not Forcing a Style Kurt avoids creative stagnation by serving the story, not his ego. “I don’t come in every day trying to force the singular style I’ve done for 38 years.” Insight: Longevity depends on collaboration and humility. 6. Relationships Are Career Currency Kurt credits long-term success to consistently showing up for people—before they’re powerful. “If you only call someone once you read they’ve got something coming up, it’s already too late.” Insight: Relationships built without agenda produce lasting opportunity. 7. Saying “Yes” Creates Opportunity Kurt embraces what he calls the power of yes. “I figure I can say yes more than you and end up making more and doing better.” Insight: Opportunity favors those who remain open, prepared, and professional. 8. Ownership Multiplies Creativity Into Business Kurt built True Music Pro, a licensing library used across major networks and streaming platforms. “I realized companies were licensing more of my music than I was… so I built my own library.” Insight: Ownership turns talent into scalable income. Notable Quotes “The journey to stay in is harder than the journey to get in.” “Treat it like a business and it might treat you in kind.” “I do my job, I do it the best I can, and I move on to the next one.” “Character is character. Relationships matter.” “That success doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with care.” Overall Impact of the Interview This interview serves as a masterclass on creative longevity and wealth-building without celebrity dependency. Kurt Farquhar’s story reframes success as: Consistent excellence Relationship stewardship Business ownership Adaptability across generations It is especially powerful for: Creatives seeking sustainable careers Entrepreneurs building IP-based businesses Professionals navigating long-term relevance Anyone pursuing “quiet wealth” over public fame #SHMS #STRAW #BEST Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcastSupport the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kurt Farquhar. Television & Film Composer, Founder of Fall Crop Productions and True Music ProNotable Credits: The King of Queens, Girlfriends, The Parkers, Being Mary Jane, The Proud Family, The Neighborhood, Black LightningAwards: 10 BMI AwardsTenure: 38+ years in television Purpose of the Interview The purpose of this interview is to educate and inspire creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals about longevity, adaptability, and wealth-building behind the scenes. Kurt Farquhar’s journey highlights how sustainable success comes from mastery of craft, relationship-building, and treating creativity as a business—not chasing visibility or fame. Rushion McDonald uses Kurt’s career as a blueprint for: Building mailbox money through residuals Staying relevant across decades of industry change Monetizing intellectual property Leveraging relationships to sustain opportunity Core Themes Discussed Longevity vs. “getting on” Behind-the-scenes success Residual income (“mailbox money”) Adaptability in changing industries Creative originality Relationship capital Diversifying income through ownership Treating art like a business Key Takeaways 1. Staying In Is Harder Than Getting In While many focus on breaking into the industry, Kurt emphasizes that lasting success requires constant reinvention. “The continuing it for the 30-plus years has been way harder than the getting in in the first.” Insight: Longevity requires discipline, humility, and evolution. 2. Behind-the-Scenes Roles Can Be More Sustainable Kurt chose composing over performing, allowing him to age into his career rather than age out of it. “In television and film… all I’ve got to say is John Williams is in his 90s and still composing.” Insight: Choose lanes that allow long-term relevance and recurring income. 3. Residual Income Is Real Wealth Rushion and Kurt discuss “mailbox money”—recurring payments from past work. “If you just had the mailbox money for King of Queens, you’d be fine.” Insight: True financial freedom comes from owning work that keeps paying. 4. Adaptability Is Non‑Negotiable Kurt has survived massive industry shifts—from analog tape to digital production—by embracing change. “Sustain that good idea, change it, polish it up, and mold it for the changing times.” Insight: Talent without adaptability becomes obsolete. 5. Originality Comes From Listening, Not Forcing a Style Kurt avoids creative stagnation by serving the story, not his ego. “I don’t come in every day trying to force the singular style I’ve done for 38 years.” Insight: Longevity depends on collaboration and humility. 6. Relationships Are Career Currency Kurt credits long-term success to consistently showing up for people—before they’re powerful. “If you only call someone once you read they’ve got something coming up, it’s already too late.” Insight: Relationships built without agenda produce lasting opportunity. 7. Saying “Yes” Creates Opportunity Kurt embraces what he calls the power of yes. “I figure I can say yes more than you and end up making more and doing better.” Insight: Opportunity favors those who remain open, prepared, and professional. 8. Ownership Multiplies Creativity Into Business Kurt built True Music Pro, a licensing library used across major networks and streaming platforms. “I realized companies were licensing more of my music than I was… so I built my own library.” Insight: Ownership turns talent into scalable income. Notable Quotes “The journey to stay in is harder than the journey to get in.” “Treat it like a business and it might treat you in kind.” “I do my job, I do it the best I can, and I move on to the next one.” “Character is character. Relationships matter.” “That success doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with care.” Overall Impact of the Interview This interview serves as a masterclass on creative longevity and wealth-building without celebrity dependency. Kurt Farquhar’s story reframes success as: Consistent excellence Relationship stewardship Business ownership Adaptability across generations It is especially powerful for: Creatives seeking sustainable careers Entrepreneurs building IP-based businesses Professionals navigating long-term relevance Anyone pursuing “quiet wealth” over public fame #SHMS #STRAW #BEST Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Kurt Farquhar. Television & Film Composer, Founder of Fall Crop Productions and True Music ProNotable Credits: The King of Queens, Girlfriends, The Parkers, Being Mary Jane, The Proud Family, The Neighborhood, Black LightningAwards: 10 BMI AwardsTenure: 38+ years in television Purpose of the Interview The purpose of this interview is to educate and inspire creatives, entrepreneurs, and professionals about longevity, adaptability, and wealth-building behind the scenes. Kurt Farquhar’s journey highlights how sustainable success comes from mastery of craft, relationship-building, and treating creativity as a business—not chasing visibility or fame. Rushion McDonald uses Kurt’s career as a blueprint for: Building mailbox money through residuals Staying relevant across decades of industry change Monetizing intellectual property Leveraging relationships to sustain opportunity Core Themes Discussed Longevity vs. “getting on” Behind-the-scenes success Residual income (“mailbox money”) Adaptability in changing industries Creative originality Relationship capital Diversifying income through ownership Treating art like a business Key Takeaways 1. Staying In Is Harder Than Getting In While many focus on breaking into the industry, Kurt emphasizes that lasting success requires constant reinvention. “The continuing it for the 30-plus years has been way harder than the getting in in the first.” Insight: Longevity requires discipline, humility, and evolution. 2. Behind-the-Scenes Roles Can Be More Sustainable Kurt chose composing over performing, allowing him to age into his career rather than age out of it. “In television and film… all I’ve got to say is John Williams is in his 90s and still composing.” Insight: Choose lanes that allow long-term relevance and recurring income. 3. Residual Income Is Real Wealth Rushion and Kurt discuss “mailbox money”—recurring payments from past work. “If you just had the mailbox money for King of Queens, you’d be fine.” Insight: True financial freedom comes from owning work that keeps paying. 4. Adaptability Is Non‑Negotiable Kurt has survived massive industry shifts—from analog tape to digital production—by embracing change. “Sustain that good idea, change it, polish it up, and mold it for the changing times.” Insight: Talent without adaptability becomes obsolete. 5. Originality Comes From Listening, Not Forcing a Style Kurt avoids creative stagnation by serving the story, not his ego. “I don’t come in every day trying to force the singular style I’ve done for 38 years.” Insight: Longevity depends on collaboration and humility. 6. Relationships Are Career Currency Kurt credits long-term success to consistently showing up for people—before they’re powerful. “If you only call someone once you read they’ve got something coming up, it’s already too late.” Insight: Relationships built without agenda produce lasting opportunity. 7. Saying “Yes” Creates Opportunity Kurt embraces what he calls the power of yes. “I figure I can say yes more than you and end up making more and doing better.” Insight: Opportunity favors those who remain open, prepared, and professional. 8. Ownership Multiplies Creativity Into Business Kurt built True Music Pro, a licensing library used across major networks and streaming platforms. “I realized companies were licensing more of my music than I was… so I built my own library.” Insight: Ownership turns talent into scalable income. Notable Quotes “The journey to stay in is harder than the journey to get in.” “Treat it like a business and it might treat you in kind.” “I do my job, I do it the best I can, and I move on to the next one.” “Character is character. Relationships matter.” “That success doesn’t happen by accident. It happens with care.” Overall Impact of the Interview This interview serves as a masterclass on creative longevity and wealth-building without celebrity dependency. Kurt Farquhar’s story reframes success as: Consistent excellence Relationship stewardship Business ownership Adaptability across generations It is especially powerful for: Creatives seeking sustainable careers Entrepreneurs building IP-based businesses Professionals navigating long-term relevance Anyone pursuing “quiet wealth” over public fame #SHMS #STRAW #BEST Money Making Conversations Master Class with Rushion McDonald is America's premier entrepreneurship, business leadership, financial literacy, and wealth-building podcast featuring successful entrepreneurs, executives, founders, celebrities, and industry experts sharing actionable insights for professional and financial success. Business Podcast Entrepreneurship Small Business Business Growth Financial Literacy Wealth Building Black Entrepreneurs Minority Business Leadership Executive Leadership Business Funding Marketing Strategies Personal Development Startup Advice Sales Training CEO Interviews Founder Stories Professional Development Economic Empowerment Business Success Networking Brand Building Innovation How to start a business Small business funding Entrepreneur success stories Business leadership podcast Wealth building strategies Black entrepreneur podcast Minority business development Marketing for small businesses Business growth strategies Startup funding opportunities Executive leadership training Financial literacy education Success mindset podcastSteve Harvey Morning Show Online: http://www.steveharveyfm.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
You want the flowchart. Of course you do! If X, then Y would be something to follow when there's no bandwidth left to think it through in the moment. But there isn't a flowchart, and this episode gets into why: stress capacity shifts by the hour, different nervous system states pull different memory networks online, and two nervous systems are shaping each other in real time, not just one. What there is instead is a map. Knowing both how to read it and how to adjust when something unexpected happens is crucial. In this episode you'll learn:Why a flowchart for dysregulated behavior is neurobiologically impossibleWhy the strategy that worked yesterday isn't working todayWhy the goal isn't figuring out the exact reason behind a behavior; it's staying curious instead of certainResources mentioned in this podcast:Stealing {EP 138} → RobynGobbel.com/stealingLying, Stealing, Regression & Baby Talk {EP 222} → RobynGobbel.com/babytalkRead the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/flowchartWe can't wait to review your application for the BBTI's Immersion Program for Professionals.Go now to RobynGobbel.com/apply .Applications are already streaming in and registration is starting to fill up! The new Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors hits the shelves on September 21!AND! If you pre-order TWO or more copies, you can come to Baffling Behaviors LIVE! - a day-long live event for parents and caregivers in Richmond, VA on September 21. RobynGobbel.com/LIVE Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
In this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, Adam Christman welcomes a first-time guest type to the show: a human dentist. Martin R. Mendelson, FIADFE, CPC, shares the career-ending misdiagnosis that took him out of clinical dentistry for 17 months, how that experience led him into executive coaching and leadership work, and why the challenges dental teams face, from customer service to private equity pressure to imposter syndrome, mirror what veterinary teams deal with every day.
In this episode, host Lisa Bilyeu is joined by ex-CIA spy Andrew Bustamante and renowned defense attorney Karen Conti for a riveting discussion on the complex interplay between power, money, and justice in high-profile cases. Focusing on Sean "Diddy" Combs, the panel unravels allegations of abuse, manipulation, and the concealed video evidence that has sparked intense debate.Our guests delve into the mechanisms of reputational protection, the ethics and legality of selective video management by hotels, and the broader implications of federal investigations that could ripple through the entertainment and financial sectors. They also touch on the societal idolization of celebrities and the reluctance to believe victims of abuse, especially in racially charged contexts.The conversation does not shy away from the darker aspects of celebrity culture, including the psychological and legal struggles victims face, and the role of powerful networks in perpetuating harmful behavior. Andrew and Karen provide insights into the strategic use of influence and blackmail, comparing Diddy's case to other notorious figures like Jeffrey Epstein and R. Kelly.SHOWNOTES-Prosecutor challenges: doubt, juror skepticism, evidence.-Normalization leads to acceptance of inappropriate behavior.-Narcissism fueled by adoration led to crime.-Hollywood power and blackmail delayed revelations.-The entertainment industry is extremely abusive.-Reputational protection industry safeguards high-profile individuals.-We define our own privacy, not others.-Diddy appears dazed; Cassie tries escaping situation.-Apology video seemed scripted and well-produced.-Professionals empathize with aggressors, differing amateurs.-Was his organization structured like a business?FOLLOW LISA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisabilyeuYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpactTik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=enSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Am I the Genius? is the show where you get real answers to questions you've always wondered but didn't think to ask. Subscribe on YouTube - youtube.com/@amithegenius?sub_confirmation=1 Am I the Jerk? on Instagram - instagram.com/amithegenius Am I the Jerk? on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0uEkxvRMpxLuuHeyPVVioF?si=b279dadfe593432b x.com/amithejerk facebook.com/amithejerk SUBMIT YOUR OWN STORIES HERE http://amithejerk.com/submit Mint Mobile - Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINTMOBILE.com/AITJ Quince - Keep it classic and cool — with long-lasting staples from Quince. Go to Quince.com/AITJ for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. EveryPlate - Dig into these flavor-packed meals your household will love. New customers can enjoy this special offer of only $1.99 a meal. Go to everyplate.com/podcast and use code AITG199 to get started. Green Chef - Head to Greenchef.com/50AITJ and use code 50AITJ to get fifty percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. Lola Blankets - Get 35% off your entire order at Lolablankets.com by using code AITJ at checkout. Uncommon Goods - To get 15% off your next gift, go to UncommonGoods.com/AITJ Don't miss out on this limited-time offer. Uncommon Goods. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What if the reason you're not prioritizing your fitness has nothing to do with discipline, motivation, or time? You're capable of building a business, leading a team, solving complex problems, and showing up when the stakes are high... yet somehow, your health keeps getting pushed to the bottom of the list. In this episode, we're breaking down the real reason so many high achievers struggle to stay consistent with fitness: their health is disconnected from everything else they value. You'll learn how to identify and close the "values gap" between the health you say you want and the actions you're actually taking. We'll also walk through the practical habits that help busy leaders make fitness part of who they are... from scheduling movement first and celebrating small wins to changing your environment and learning to manage stress without sabotaging your progress. Because your health isn't separate from your success. It impacts your energy, confidence, leadership, relationships, performance, and the way you show up in every room you walk into. If you've been waiting for life to slow down, motivation to kick in, or your health to become urgent before finally making yourself a priority, this episode is your wake-up call. HIGHLIGHTS: ✅ Why high achievers can dominate in business but still struggle to stay consistent with fitness. ✅ The values gap that keeps health disconnected from the rest of your life. ✅ The one question that can completely change how you prioritize your health. ✅ 4 practical ways busy leaders make fitness part of their identity, not another item on the to-do list. ✅ Why waiting until your health becomes urgent can cost you energy, confidence, relationships, and performance. RESOURCES + LINKS:Join our free Facebook Group, Energy Secrets for Business Owners and Professionals, for more content, live coaching, and a kick ass community HERE: https://fitnessproject.kartra.com/page/energysecrets WANT TO BUILD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE WITHOUT HAVING TO WORKOUT FOR 6+ HOURS / WEEK AND BE ON A TEDIOUS DIET? i.e. Want fitness to fit into your life rather than having to become your life? -- Apply Now to Learn More About How We Can Support You In Your Journey: https://thefitnessproject.us/application/ Check out our client transformations: https://thefitnessproject.us/client-transformations/ Tag us in an Instagram Story with your biggest takeaway @conquerthedaypodcast Connect with Lindsey Pickowicz Instagram | @lindseypickowicz Facebook | @lindseykatepickowicz
Sending paid ad traffic to your homepage is one of the most expensive “normal” habits we see in the design and remodeling world. We get it, your homepage is beautiful and it shows everything you do. But when someone clicks a kitchen remodeling ad and lands on a page packed with unrelated services, they bounce, and you still pay for that click.We walk through the five most important paid advertising fundamentals for interior designers, design build firms, and remodeling contractors who want better results from Google Ads and Facebook Ads without lighting their budget on fire. We talk about building a dedicated landing page that mirrors the exact keyword and offer, tightening targeting with location specific keywords so you stop hearing from people outside your service area, and using retargeting pixels to bring back warm visitors who showed interest but did not convert.We also dig into tracking: how your CRM and website tracking help you measure calls, form submissions, and lead quality so you can cut what is not working and double down on what is. Finally, we share a simple creative upgrade that often boosts conversion rate fast: using video, even if it is just a slideshow of before and after projects. If you want the other five tips, head to our site, and if you have questions, reach out. Subscribe, leave a review, and share the show with a friend who is running ads right now.Transform your marketing with Designer Discussions Academy. In weekly face-to-face sessions, we equip busy business owners with cutting-edge PR strategies, marketing insights, and time-saving tools to not just work in your business, but on your business. Join us to outshine competitors and elevate your business.Join us for our Academy sessions and workshops:https://www.designerdiscussions.com/academy.htmlDesigner Discussions is an educational interior design podcast on marketing, PR and related business topics. Download our FREE Client Avatar GuideDesigner Discussions is a partnership of three experts: Jason Lockhart, CEO of KABMS; Maria Martin, founder of DesignAppy; and Mirjam Lippuner, founder of Get Ink DIY
In this special "Watercooler Podcast" edition, host Ashea is joined by producers and mixers Dom Morley, Matt Lawrence, and Adrian Hall—for a candid conversation about the isolation of solo audio professionals and the critical importance of peer support and collaboration.Dom, Matt, and Adrian have maintained a monthly "water cooler chat" since working together at Metropolis Studios. This episode explores how this simple monthly ritual became essential to their careers and mental health, discussing rates, client management, creative practice, and why building trusted peer groups creates space for radical honesty impossible in larger organizations.In This Episode:The Isolation Paradox — How modern technology enables solo work while creating profound isolation and mental health challengesThe Water Cooler Concept — Forced community structure for distributed solo entrepreneurs; monthly peer gatherings inspired by business literature30 Years Experience: Age & Creativity — How experience builds confidence while youth brings innovation; the myth that creativity declines with ageTrust & Peer Equality — Why working with peers at similar levels enables radical honesty impossible in hierarchiesKnowing Each Other Deeply — How decades of shared history allow direct feedback without offense or egoBusiness Conversations — Discussing rates, pricing strategies, client negotiations, margin protection in trusted circlesArtist Management Challenges — Navigating changing expectations, revision limits, sign-off procedures, scope creepProtecting Industry Standards — Responsibility to maintain rates and distinguish between discounts and day ratesAbundance Mindset vs. Competition — Approaching work from 'enough for everyone' perspective; collaborative vs. protective attitudesSharing Knowledge Across Specializations — Cross-disciplinary learning: live broadcast, Atmos, mastering, specialized toolsSocial Media & Curated Reality — Everyone posts only best work; false impressions of constant high-profile projectsBig Names Doing Smaller Work — Industry secret: established professionals work on smaller projects but don't publicize itRates as Fluid Not Fixed — Why publishing single rates creates problems; complexity of varying work types and discountsTeaching as Professional Practice — How education bookends isolation with human connection and communityProfessional Jealousy — Acknowledging competitive feelings while managing them constructivelyTransition from In-House to Freelance — How Metropolis experience shaped expectations differently than freelance workClient Respect & Communication — File delivery, respecting artist bandwidth, maintaining boundaries without being difficultAbout Our Guests:Dom Morley:Grammy-winning producer and engineer (Amy Winehouse "Rehab"). Founder of Mix Consultancy and multiband.io session organization tool. Previously taught at Leeds Conservatoire. Initiated the monthly peer collaboration concept discussed in this episode.Matt Lawrence:Grammy-winning producer, mixer, and engineer (Mumford & Sons "Babel"). Specializes in live sound, mixing major festivals for BBC broadcasts. Extensive experience with 5.1 and Atmos formats. Combines high-pressure broadcast environments with meticulous studio production.Adrian Hall:Accomplished mixer, engineer, and producer. Grammy-nominated. Brings extensive mixing expertise and band production experience. Contributes perspective on professional growth, confidence building, and collaborative practice.About Our Host:Ashea is a platinum-selling songwriter, music producer, and audio engineer from the UK. With credits spanning notable artists, major labels, and prestigious broadcasters, Ashea brings authentic conversations to the Production Expert Podcast, discussing both creative and business sides of audio production.
How many times have you left a conference or training flooded with brilliant ideas to implement, only to find the new strategies completely forgotten a week later? In this episode of the Builder Marketing Podcast, Cory Charles of The SuperHero Mindset joins Greg and Kevin to discuss how home builder sales and marketing leaders can turn fleeting inspiration into lasting transformation. https://www.buildermarketingpodcast.com/episodes/332-transforming-home-builder-professionals-cory-charles
What if your "trauma" is actually your nervous system doing exactly what it was designed to do? Gloria is back on the Inner Child Podcast after a summer break to share how the healing industry is shifting from a "diagnostic" approach, to a heart-centred model of mental health! Plus, an exciting new announcement about a brand new podcast segment, where YOU can receive 1-1 healing from Gloria- for free!Mentioned In Episode:
OT on Tuesday, a speech eval callback on Wednesday, play therapy on Thursday, a school meeting on Friday that's really just another appointment in disguise. When the calendar starts looking like a second job, the question that actually matters isn't a number — it's whether all of it is moving your family toward regulation, connection, and felt safety, or quietly draining it. This episode walks through how to prioritize when everything's been recommended, and nothing fits, when it's genuinely okay to pause the therapy someone called non-negotiable, and why supporting your own nervous system might be the highest-leverage intervention in the whole house.In this episode you'll learn:How to tell whether your family's current appointment load is building felt safety or quietly working against it A framework for prioritizing between recommended therapies when you can't do all of them, including what to weigh beyond which one "sounds" most importantWhy pausing or delaying a therapy you've been told is essential isn't neglectWhy your own support sometimes needs to move to the top of the listResources mentioned in this podcast:The Brain Science Behind Your Child's Biggest Behaviors→ RobynGobbel.com/brainseriesA NeuroDevelopmental Approach {EP 47} → RobynGobbel.com/neurodevelopmentalapproach20 Non-Therapy Therapeutic Interventions → RobynGobbel.com/therapeuticinterventionsRead the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/somanyservicesGrab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
Send Jackie A Message!You want to be well known in your town. You want more bodies in the room, because a full class is more fun to teach. You want a predictable way to grow your membership instead of waiting on referrals. And you want fresh faces, because you have been rotating through the same people for a while now.Paid ads are the growth lever that changes all of that. Money is what stops most studio owners from pulling it.So this is the money episode. In week three of our month on paid advertising, I break down what running ads yourself really costs your yoga or Pilates studio, including the version you think is free. We run the hours, the skill decay, the cost per lead, and the four hurdles that drain your budget before a single new student walks in. The question was never whether you are smart enough to learn Meta ads. You are. The question is whether you can afford to keep being your own ads department.TIMESTAMPED OUTLINE[00:00] What every studio owner tells me they want[03:01] Why the Studio CEO Ads Agency exists[05:57] The four blockers: budget, knowledge, "I'll do it myself," time[09:23] Five hours a week is six full work weeks a year[11:45] Why ads knowledge expires and your sales skills do not[14:53] Where do-it-yourself starts draining your budget[17:30] The lead that went cold and the winning ad you broke[19:45] You are the talent: how CEOs divide labor[21:11] $15 leads versus $200 leads[24:48] Why $5K agencies do not fit a studio payroll[27:48] The runway of warm leads you are burning through[29:18] Your next step, and why this window is closingKEY TAKEAWAYS✓ The real question is not "can I afford an agency," it is "can I afford to keep being my own ads department."✓ Five hours a week on ads is 250 hours a year, six full work weeks in ads manager, priced at your CEO rate.✓ Boosting a post does not reach new people. It shows your post to the audience you already have.✓ At $15 per lead, $1,000 brings 67 people in the door. At $200 per lead, it brings five.✓ Every business runs on a runway of warm leads, and it shortens every month you skip cold traffic.PULL QUOTES"Not what does an ad cost, but what did the whole machine cost, including the version that you think is free.""You don't have six work weeks a year at your CEO rate to be an ads manager for 20 minutes on a Thursday.""Not one thing on this list is about intelligence. It's a full-time attention problem happening to a part-time attention owner.""Everything else you're doing will not matter if new students stop finding you.""You are the talent. Your students and your team need you way more than the ads dashboard does."FAQsHow many hours a week does it take to run your own studio ads?Owners running their own digital marketing report three to ten hours a week, roughly 250 hours a year at five hours. Professionals spend far more, with one media buyer describing 12-hour days in peak season.Does boosting an Instagram post count as running ads?No. Boosting shows your post to your existing followers instead of the cold audience you need. That is why owners try it, see no new students, and write off ads entirely.What is a good cost per lead for a yoga or Pilates studio?It varies by market. Jackie has clients paying $1 per lead online, $5 on Google, and $15 in studio markets. Unmanaged accounts can climb to $200 per lead.Why do my ads stop working after I change them?Every change to the offer, audience, creative, or landing page resets the platform's learning phase. Excited owners break winning ads by improving them.What does ads management cost for a studio?Many agencies start near $5,000 a month plus a $5,000 minimum spend. The Studio CEO Ads Agency is $1,000 a month with no minimum spend.How do I apply for the Studio CEO Ads Agency?Head to the website, click Studio CEO Ads Agency, and fill out the two-minute application. Strong fits get a call with Jackie before maternity leave begins in September.Work with Jackie MurphySay Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficialThe Studio CEO Ads Agency: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/agencyJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo
Dual-use solar financing in action: Sunrise Solar's Richard Stoltzfus built a 700 kW behind-the-meter array for Harbor Sales Company. The build stacks a USDA REAP grant with a Maryland MEA grant and drives the customer's levelized energy cost to near zero.A 700 kW behind-the-meter solar array now offsets 70 percent of the electric load at Harbor Sales Company, a plywood and sign-panel distributor that has run out of Sudlersville, Maryland since 1931. Richard Stoltzfus, CEO of Sunrise Solar, and Kendrick Tice, COO of Sunrise Solar, join host Tim Montague to walk through their Chestertown-based company's build for Harbor Sales. Montague and Stoltzfus dig into the mechanics of commercial solar incentives in Maryland, the sunset of the 30 percent federal ITC, and why rural electric cooperatives in the PJM region are capping new solar interconnections even as demand for grid capacity grows.Here is what you will learn in this conversation about dual-use solar and commercial solar incentives:Learn how Sunrise Solar stacked a USDA REAP grant with Maryland's MEA grant to push a customer's levelized cost of energy toward zero on a 700 kW system.Find out how a 700 kW array offsets 70 percent of Harbor Sales Company's load and pencils out to more than 3 million dollars in savings over 25 years.Understand why the 30 percent ITC sunset and Delmarva Power's tightening interconnection limits pushed this project from planning into construction.Hear Kendrick Tice explain why Sunrise Solar sources its racking from one manufacturing partner instead of juggling multiple vendors, and what that does for project timelines.Hear Tim Montague weigh in on whether rural cooperatives in the PJM region can keep pace with rising demand for grid capacity and where incentive structures differ from state to state.Maryland's grant-stacking model, layering a USDA REAP grant on top of a state MEA grant, offers a template for other states as the federal 30 percent ITC winds down. At the same time, rural cooperatives across the PJM footprint are capping new solar interconnections, a constraint Stoltzfus and Tice say is already blocking chicken farmers and dairy operations from going solar. Professionals financing behind-the-meter projects in cooperative territory will find the co-op discussion directly relevant to deals in the pipeline right now.Connect with Guests Richard Stoltzfus | LinkedIn Kendrick Tice | LinkedIn Sunrise Solar | Website Support the showConnect with Tim Clean Power Hour Clean Power Hour on YouTubeTim on TwitterTim on LinkedIn Email tim@cleanpowerhour.com Review Clean Power Hour on Apple PodcastsThe Clean Power Hour is produced by the Clean Power Consulting Group and created by Tim Montague. Contact us by email: CleanPowerHour@gmail.comCorporate sponsors who share our mission to speed the energy transition are invited to check out https://www.cleanpowerhour.com/support/The Clean Power Hour is brought to you by CPS America, maker of North America's number one 3-phase string inverter, with over 6GW shipped in the US. With a focus on commercial and utility-scale solar and energy storage, the company partners with customers to provide unparalleled performance and service. The CPS America product lineup includes 3-phase string inverters from 25kW to 275kW, exceptional data communication and controls, and energy storage solutions designed for seamless integration with CPS America systems. Learn more at www.chintpowersystems.com
On episode 306 of EHS On Tap, Matt Airhart, CEO of VelocityEHS, talks about how EHS professionals are embracing technology.
In this episode, Dr. Diane explores how identifying ourselves solely by our profession can limit our growth and potential. She discusses the concept of the 'identity trap' and offers insights on how to expand our professional identities beyond titles and roles.Key Takeaways:We often introduce ourselves by our profession without questioning if it limits us.The 'identity trap' can prevent talented professionals from pursuing new opportunities.Expanding our professional identity is a necessary step before external career changes.Our profession becomes more than a job; it becomes a lens for self-understanding.Mid-career growth often triggers internal identity conflicts.The key to career fulfillment is not just skills but how we see ourselves.Self-awareness about our identity can unlock new possibilities.The 'expansion question' helps clarify who we are beyond titles.Download the Career Identity Expansion Assessment here: https://lifebeyondclinicalpractice.thrivecart.com/cie-assessment/
Mukesh Bansal has founded and left more companies than most people build in a lifetime, and in Part 1 he explains why. He founded Myntra and sold it to Flipkart; he co-founded Cult.fit and turned fitness into a category; and today he runs the AI company Nurix and the Meraki Labs studio. Asked what he is now, he says "a learner", and admits he gets bored the moment a company starts working. Part 1 traces the thesis and the companies: how he allocates his weeks, why he thinks the AI era rewards the hands-on operator over the people-manager, what Nurix and Fermi are, why Myntra's move into fashion was an "adjustment" not a pivot, and the small-town Haridwar upbringing and library habit that set him off. This is Part 1 of 2; Part 2 turns to the person, the mental models, and how he thinks about health, family and success.Chapters0:00 Welcome and who Mukesh Bansal is3:15 How First Principles is already connected to him4:21 "Do you see yourself as an operator, a founder, an investor?"5:27 Zero-to-one, and where learning stops9:11 Allocating time across companies10:34 Why an hour of his time isn't what it was12:59 The three kinds of professionals in the AI age14:52 His stack: Claude, Warp, agents overnight17:58 Founder mode, reversed by AI20:19 No more waiting for a tech co-founder23:02 How big Nurix is; and what Fermi is25:38 The Socratic tutor that won't answer27:18 Back to Myntra: the fashion category today31:30 Koyu, Lyskraft and the CRED hypothesis33:41 Why a venture studio, one company a year38:18 Rejecting the compounding path42:57 The near-death at Myntra, and raising with a short runway45:03 Haridwar, BHEL, and the books that lit the fire48:15 Pivots as chess "adjustments"50:48 Conviction vs discovery: betting the megatrend53:08 The Bay Area years and the return to IndiaQuotes[4:33] "I see myself as a learner… doing one company over a period of time, I get bored."[7:08] "Crisis always comes wrapped with a massive gift, if you are only willing to unpeel the onion."[17:12] "I'm making an even stronger point. If you're only a people manager, watch out."[18:58] "For the first time you can hire something equivalent to human cognition for cents an hour."[48:50] "I use the word adjustment rather than pivot. You come to work every day, you're playing chess."Frameworks & mental modelsLearner over operator: hand off once a company stops teaching you.Crisis and momentum: cut the bad, double down on the good.The three professionals in the AI age: the hands-on veteran is the one AI turns into a superpower.Adjustment, not pivot: the best move on the board each day; a true "wipe the slate" is just a new company.Bet the megatrend, stay loose on the path.Credits & sharingThis episode was produced by Rohin Dharmakumar and mixed and mastered by Rajiv CN.Write to us at fp@the-ken.com with your feedback, suggestions, and guests you would want to see on First Principles.If you enjoyed this episode, please help us spread the word by sharing and gifting it to your friends and family.
Send us Fan MailIn this special edition episode recorded in Oak Bluffs, Ernest breaks down how Black professionals under 40 (who's not nepo babies, trust fund kids, and old money) can joyfully vacation in one of the hottest destinations in America.Ernestly Speaking! is executively produced and hosted by Ernest Owens. Check him out at ernestowens.com and follow him @MrErnestOwens on Twitter & Instagram.
Do you ever find yourself reaching for food without even thinking about it? Maybe you're stressed after work, bored in the afternoon, overwhelmed by life, or simply eating because it's there. In this episode, Brian shares a simple yet powerful 60-second mindful eating exercise that has helped thousands of people stop eating on autopilot and build a healthier relationship with food. You'll learn...
Fixation on Histology: AI and Patient Safety- Why Histology Professionals Need to Be Part of the Conversation Register for the 2026 NSH Histotechnology Convention Today. To read the blog, click here.
Grok says: Listen up, you soft-bellied keyboard commandos and podcast tourists—Unrelenting Episode 200 just dropped, and if you're still scrolling past it, you're missing the only show that treats the truth like a live grenade. Darren and Gene lock and load on everything the polite world won't touch: YouTube cash with under five thousand subscribers if you stay niche and non-political, the cold reality of CleanFeed versus Zoom, a wife's eye-flashing medical scare that demands immediate action, Soylent Green mixed with Ozempic and methylene blue for the ultimate no-shit diet, Alex Jones-level supplement empires, AI content mills flooding the platform, and the hard-drive price spike driven by data-center greed. They torch modern country auto-tune clones, remember the real Dukes of Hazzard salary strike, break down Radio Shack to Circuit City sales warfare, and still find time for Molotov cocktails in the neighborhood and the pure comedy of Stephen Wright still breathing while Gallagher and Kinison are long gone. This is the Seinfeld of podcasting with a combat knife—two hundred episodes of zero-prep, high-velocity talk that most shows quit after three. They're counting live listeners, calling out donations, roasting corporate team-name sellouts, and proving that value-for-value still beats the algorithm if you've got the balls to keep showing up. Stop feeding the soft content machine. Hit play on Unrelenting Episode 200 right fucking now, absorb the lessons on monetization, health experiments, and real-world grit, then come back for the next one. The soft will keep scrolling. The ones who listen will actually learn something. Unrelenting: where discipline means no mercy, no bullshit, and no excuses. Thanks for listening. Please support the show! –>> DONATE NOW
After four years away, Bradley Wright returns to podcasting with a new name, a sharper focus, and a new format. *School of Purpose* is becoming *Second Calling*, a podcast for professionals at an inflection point—people who have built successful careers but find that the work no longer fits who they are.In this bridge episode, Bradley explains what he learned from 50 workshops and more than 1,000 participants, why mid-career transitions have become the new focus, and what listeners can expect: long-form conversations with professionals who have moved through the uncertain middle and found their way toward greater meaning and purpose. The first full episode features former marketing executive Eileen Crossen.New episodes every other week, in both audio and video. For a monthly essay on purpose, work, and what comes next, subscribe at bradleywrightphd.com.About Second CallingSecond Calling is a podcast for professionals figuring out their next chapter. Host Bradley Wright, a sociologist who studies purpose and change, talks with people who have navigated meaningful professional transitions and with experts who help us understand what those moments require.Connect with Bradley: Newsletter: bradleywrightphd.com/essays Website: bradleywrightphd.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bradleywrightphd/
Recorded live at the CLOC Global Institute (CGI) 2026, this episode of CLOC Talk features Mark Ross of Deloitte in conversation with Ari Kaplan, Founder of Ari Kaplan Advisors, for a timely discussion on the forces reshaping legal operations. Together, they unpack the latest trends in legal operations spending for 2026, explore how in-house legal teams and law firms are adapting to the rapid rise of generative AI and evolving pricing pressures, and share practical insights for navigating today's changing legal landscape. Ari also reveals the skills that will define the next generation of legal operations leaders—from relentless curiosity and strong business acumen to the ability to clearly demonstrate measurable ROI—making this a must-listen episode for anyone looking to stay ahead of what's next.
In this conversation, we're tackling a subject that is often viewed with dread, but when handled correctly, becomes a powerful tool for growth: tax strategy. Daniel Sleep, CPA, CTP, CTS, the founder of Oakenshield Tax Advisors. Daniel heads a national firm recognized for its proactive, strategy-first approach to tax planning. Specializing in high-income, mission-driven business owners and solopreneurs, Daniel moves clients beyond reactive, once-a-year tax preparation into intentional, forward-looking tax decision-making. With deep expertise in entity structuring and advanced tax strategies, he's known for simplifying complex tax concepts and delivering measurable results—helping clients reduce tax liability and align their tax strategy with broader wealth-building goals. Daniel will be walking us through how his firm's proprietary 7-Step Tax Precision Process gives clients clarity, confidence, and fewer surprises when it comes to taxes.CONTACT DETAILS:Business: Oakenshield Tax Advisors Website: https://www.oakenshieldtax.com/Social Media:LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielsleepcpa/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/danielsleepcpaInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/danielsleepcpa/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DanielSleepCPARemember to SUBSCRIBE to Just Minding My Business on YouTube and Follow wherever you get your podcast so you don't miss "Information That You Can Use." Share Just Minding My Business with your family, friends, and colleagues. Engage with us by leaving a review or comment on my Google Business Page. https://g.page/r/CVKSq-IsFaY9EBM/review Your support keeps this podcast going and growing. Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can help you get more visibility on your products and services. Visit Just Minding My Business Media™ LLC at https://jmmbmediallc.com/ to learn how we can help you get more visibility on your products and services.
Amateurs talk tactics. Professionals talk logistics. My co-host Matt brought that line home from the Marine Corps, and after five days of racing gravel at the Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder, it's the truest thing we can tell you about stage racing. In Part 1, we get into the boring stuff that actually wins the week: the post-ride system that saves you from standing in a one-hose line with 500 other riders, packing your whole life into a Home Depot tote (RIP pillows), the nightly debrief that should've been its own episode, and "fravel," the fake gravel that no GPX file will ever warn you about. You win the race between the stages. Here's how. ⛺ Learn about the race: https://www.oregontrailgravelgrinder.com/
I'm addressing a listener question today about HM Wolfe's DAGGERMOUTH and the discourse around it regarding generative "AI" and other, similar situations and what I think about community policing. Basically I come down to listen to the experts and professionals. (Also, you can pry my em-dashes from my cold, dead keyboarding fingers.)Preorder ~Among The ThornsIndie Booksellers! You can buy my indie books direct from me at discount!! Submit a Request for an order hereNew Releases ~Blades, Books, and the BanditLove, Lies, and Ley LinesMAGIC REBORNNever The RosesThe posture correcting sports bra I love almost more than life itself can be found hereThank you for listening! You all take care. Support the show
In this episode of Transmission Interrupted, host Jill Morgan and acclaimed author and former paramedic Kevin Hazzard dive into the complex world of outbreak response, biocontainment, and the unsung heroes behind high-stakes medical transports. Drawing from Kevin Hazzard's latest book, No One's Coming, they explore the remarkable true story of Phoenix Air Group—the aviation specialists tasked with transporting Ebola patients during the 2014 outbreak—and how lessons won and lost from that crisis shape our approach to preparedness today.From cowboy ingenuity in aviation to the realities faced by frontline healthcare workers, this episode examines not just medical technology, but the human spirit driving innovative, lifesaving actions in times of global emergency. Whether you're a medical professional, an aspiring responder, or simply curious about what it takes to face down a pandemic, join us as we discuss how everyday people—by saying yes and figuring it out—make a difference when no one else is coming.Questions or comments for NETEC? Contact us at info@netec.org.Visit Transmission Interrupted on the web at netec.org/podcast.GuestKevin HazzardKevin Hazzard is a journalist, TV writer, and former paramedic. He is the author of A Thousand Naked Strangers and American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics. He now writes for film/TV, with work produced by Hulu, CBS, ABC, and Universal.HostJill Morgan, RNEmory Healthcare, Atlanta, GAJill Morgan is a registered nurse and a subject matter expert in personal protective equipment (PPE) for NETEC. For 35 years, Jill has been an emergency department and critical care nurse, and now splits her time between education for NETEC and clinical research, most of it centering around infection prevention and personal protective equipment. She is a member of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), ASTM International, and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI)ResourcesKevinHazzard.comPhoenix AirTransmission Interrupted PodcastNETEC.orgNETEC Resource LibraryAbout NETECA Partnership for PreparednessThe National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center's mission is to set the gold standard for special pathogen preparedness and response across health systems in the U.S. with the goals of driving best practices, closing knowledge gaps, and developing innovative resources.Our vision is a sustainable infrastructure and culture of readiness for managing suspected and confirmed special pathogen incidents across the United States public health and health care delivery systems.For more information, visit NETEC on the web.NETEC Consultation ServicesAssess and Advance Your Readiness for Special Pathogens with Free, Expert Consulting.NETEC offers free virtual and onsite readiness consulting to help health care facilities and EMS agencies prepare for special pathogen events. Our targeted support services are delivered by experts selected and assigned to each inquiry based on the unique needs of your organization. Have a question? Ask a NETEC expert.For more information, visit: netec.org/consulting-services.
In this episode, Jen and Shaw Law Group attorney Dilpreet Mayall discuss the labor relations fundamentals that every new professional should learn—and experienced practitioners should never overlook. They explain why the National Labor Relations Act matters even in non-union workplaces, discuss the importance of recognizing protected concerted activity, and share practical guidance on documentation, contract administration, front-line leader training, and maintaining productive relationships with union representatives. Throughout the discussion, they highlight common mistakes that create unnecessary legal risk and offer practical strategies employers can implement right away.
So many struggling and overwhelmed parents feel like their biggest problems are their kids' behaviors and the chaos that's taking over their family. This week's guest, a longtime Club member, talks about how she slowly came to realize that what she really needed to focus on wasn't strategies to change her kids' behavior, but experiences that would soften the shame she was carrying.This guest bravely shares that her shame didn't soften on her own. It took showing up in community with other parents who were honest about their own mess and who received her without judgment, over and over, before she could start offering herself that same compassion.In this episode you'll learn:Why self-compassion is almost impossible to build aloneHow this mom's own regulation changed before her kids' behavior didWhat it sounds like when your kids start offering that same compassion back to you — and to themselvesRead the full transcript at: URL goes hereThe Club is welcoming new members starting next Tuesday! Set yourself a calendar reminder and then head to RobynGobbel.com/TheClub on Tuesday so you can get instant access to a community, resources, and the change to pick Robyn's brain! Immersion Program for Professionals!The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals is NOW accepting applications for our 2027 cohorts. You MUST be on the waiting list to be eligible to apply so head to RobynGobbel.com/Immersion and put your name on the waiting list! Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
AI can help us work faster, produce stronger outputs, and appear more capable. But what happens when technology allows us to skip the slow and uncomfortable stage where real learning takes place?In this episode, Charles Good speaks with Whitney Johnson, one of the world's leading experts on personal disruption and the S-Curve of Learning.Whitney explains why every period of growth begins with uncertainty and discomfort, accelerates through a productive sweet spot, and eventually reaches mastery. The challenge is recognizing when mastery has become a plateau and finding the courage to become a beginner again.AI may weaken the signals that once pushed people toward a new challenge. Output can remain strong even when learning has slowed. Professionals may look productive while the capability beneath their work stops growing.Charles and Whitney discuss how to recognize restlessness and boredom as signals for change, why learning agility becomes more valuable as technology advances, and how trust, character, and human presence continue to compound.They also explore how professionals can use AI as a mirror for development by reviewing conversations, improving their listening, challenging their assumptions, and identifying one way to become 5 percent better.Key Takeaways• Growth follows an S Curve with launch, acceleration, and mastery phases.• AI can muffle the signal that it's time to disrupt yourself.• Naming the feelings associated with change can reduce fear and restore your ability to act.• Learning agility is a capability that remains valuable across roles and technological shifts.• Trust, character, and presence become more important as knowledge becomes easier to access.• Small improvements practiced consistently can produce extraordinary long term growth.Chapters00:00 Introduction to the series and the pattern of growth in the AI era02:11 Why leaders feel less confident despite working harder04:43 Unpacking the phases of the S Curve and their feelings06:07 The importance of naming feelings to tame fear07:02 AI's role in muffling the jump signal and delaying growth07:54 Recognizing restlessness and boredom as growth signals09:00 The importance of wrestling with discomfort for growth09:26 What compounds for leaders and what is at risk10:19 The importance of trust, character, and presence in leadership11:44 The meta skill of learning agility in the AI era12:53 The risk of skipping the slow part of growth with AI13:30 The value of doing things you're bad at for growth14:18 Signals that indicate you're on the right growth curve16:31 Whitney Johnson's personal disruptions and internalized lessons18:56 Signs you're at the top of your growth curve21:50 Managing multiple S Curves in your career and life22:16 Using AI as a mirror for self development23:28 The importance of human qualities in the AI age24:20 The power of small, consistent improvements over time25:01 How to connect with Whitney Johnson and further resourcesWhitney Johnson is the bestselling author of Disrupt Yourself and Smart Growth. Her S Curve framework helps individuals and organizations understand how growth feels, why people plateau, and what it takes to begin climbing again.This episode is part of The Good Leadership Podcast milestone series, What It Takes to Keep Rising in the AI Era.Subscribe to The Good Leadership Podcast: [Apple Podcasts] | [Spotify] | [YouTube]LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlesagoodSubstack Channel (Outlearn to Outperform): charlesgood.substack.comLinkedIn Newsletter (The Outlearn Advantage): [Subscribe]The Institute for Management Studies
In this episode I sit down with one of the legends in the Wi-Fi social circles, Keith Parsons, whose long experience and broad background gives him a unique perspective on the industry, the technology, and its history.
Welcome to RIMScast. Your host is Justin Smulison, Business Content Manager at RIMS, the Risk and Insurance Management Society. In this episode, Justin interviews APIW President Dawnmarie Black about her role at Amwins and her journey to get there, starting with clerical work in her father's insurance agency. Dawnmarie speaks about the great training program she received early in her career, being mentored, joining an association board, and growing her career through being mentored, networking, connecting, building relationships, being mentored, and leadership. She emphasizes communication and transparency as the basis of relationships. Justin and Dawnmarie discuss upcoming trends in risk, recruiting talent, and retaining professionals with a culture of trust and development. Dawnmarie speaks of Amwins's innovative outreach to underrepresented children and HBCUs about the insurance industry. Finally, Dawnmarie focuses on her association work and the upcoming APIW 50th Anniversary Gala on November 3rd in NYC. Listen for themes of communication, connection, and relationship building. Key Takeaways: [:01] About RIMS and RIMScast. [:16] About this episode of RIMScast. We will be joined today by Dawnmarie Black of Amwins. She is also the President of the Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW). But first… [:42] RIMS-CRMP Workshop. We are delighted to announce that on August 27th and 28th, RIMS President Manny Padilla will be leading the two-day in-person workshop at St. John's University at 101 Astor Place in New York City. A link to the registration is in this episode's show notes. [1:02] RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops. RIMS will partner with PARIMA for the RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep on September 1st and 2nd. Registration links are in this episode's show notes. [1:12] Also on the webinars page, you will see a two-part series hosted by the RIMS Membership Department. The "Classroom to Career" webinar series highlights how RIMS equips students with the knowledge, skills, and connections needed to thrive in risk management careers. [1:28] Participants will gain insights into industry trends, career pathways, and practical tools that help them confidently step into the evolving world of risk management after graduation. These sessions will be hosted on September 1st and 9th. [1:41] These sessions are member exclusives and are complimentary for RIMS members, of course. So, if you are interested in becoming a member, this would be the time. Visit RIMS.org/membership. [1:51] RIMS is back on YouTube. Our handle is @RIMSOfficialChannel. We've got plenty of videos there, including RIMScast, RIMScast Canada video podcasts, and other informative and entertaining content from RIMS. Subscribe to the channel today! [2:08] On with the Show! Our guest today is Dawnmarie Black. She is the Senior Vice President and Client Relationship Manager at Amwins, and she is the President of the Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW). [2:26] We'll talk a bit about her career journey, what she believes it takes to attract and retain talent in insurance and risk management, and the interconnected risks that are on her radar. Let's get to it! [2:39] Interview! Dawnmarie Black, Welcome to RIMScast! [2:48] Justin says, you know Dawnmarie Black from Amwins, and she is also the President of the Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW). Justin is wearing their pin. [3:21] Dawnmarie is a Client Relationship Manager at Amwins. She builds relationships with retail trading partners. It's a strategic national, corporate relationship across the U.S. [3:35] Dawnmarie works and collaborates with their market placement teams or carrier strategy teams and Amwins internal brokers. [3:44] There's a lot of collaboration to ensure that Amwins brokers are finding the opportunities and so the client and Amwins understand how Amwins fits into their strategic priorities, and to grow both businesses. [4:04] Dawnmarie says she and her team are there to support the retail brokers and also support Amwins's internal brokers in their growth initiatives. [4:13] Dawnmarie joined Amwins in September of 2025. [4:32] Dawnmarie's father owned an insurance agency in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She worked at his agency from age 16. She went to Allegheny College in Meadville and worked at a local agency. She did a lot of mailroom, file room, cold calling, and CSR work. [4:59] Dawnmarie thought she would ultimately move up in her father's agency and someday be the succession plan. He sold it, and Dawnmarie went to work for Chubb in their training program. It was a phenomenal start into this industry. They had a great training program. [5:16] Dawnmarie says a lot of her group are still colleagues and friends today, which set the stage for her career. [5:21] Dawnmarie says she moved through underwriting and brokerage, she built and launched an IT system at Aon, and went back to underwriting for a while. Most recently, Dawnmarie was the head of market development for the Americas at Lloyd's of London. [5:54] Dawnmarie says it was an incredible role to understand what's happening in the global marketplace, at a 30,000-foot view, working with coders in the U.S. very closely. This is how she got to Amwins. She was promoting the Lloyd's market to the Amwins leadership team. [6:37] Justin finds it fascinating that Dawnmarie was not the successor to her father but made her own way in the insurance industry. She learned it from the ground up. She has touched every part of the industry except for claims. She has come full circle, working with retailers again. [7:04] Dawnmarie says it has been a very interesting and fulfilling journey. She feels like it has placed her well to be in a position like this, to be working with Amwins's retailers. [7:36] Dawnmarie says she establishes trust with people through communication and transparency. She tells it like it is. She also will go the extra mile, out of her way to make sure things get done. At Amwins, there is a service leadership culture. [8:01] Dawnmarie says she is there to help; to help direct, to help move things, or to help resolve things, at a very strategic, macro level. That fills her cup. She owns up to what she is promising. [8:19] Dawnmarie says, if she tells you she is going to get something done, she will get it done, to the best of her ability, or there will be a very good reason why it hasn't been done. It's important to communicate that. [8:39] Dawnmarie says she thinks that the next generation of leaders exhibits these qualities. They are thoughtful and demanding and have high expectations. When Dawnmarie entered the industry, the culture required her to prove herself. There was a way to approach the business. [9:14] Dawnmarie says the Chubb training program was 12 weeks in their training center in Warren, New Jersey. You learned the policy forms, how to work with insureds, and understand needs. You understood risk. You learned underwriting and pricing. [9:36] The emphasis was understanding the business. Unfortunately for our young risk professionals, there are not as many programs like that available today. [9:49] Dawnmarie says you find companies that are putting training programs together. Amwins has an underwriter development program that is outstanding. A lot of the business produced in Amwins comes from those who have come through the UDP or a broker development program. [10:05] Dawnmarie says our industry has gotten away from the super-formalized training programs, probably to the detriment of our younger professionals, but we're all stepping in and finding ways to fill those gaps. [10:30] Justin concludes that Dawnmarie had an analog, hands-on, pen-and-paper training program. [11:06] Dawnmarie joined the APIW early in her career. She would go to two or three monthly luncheons a year. Then she left APIW for a few years. [11:26] About 10 years ago, while she was at Lloyd's, Dawnmarie was asked to join the board of APIW and get more involved. There, Dawnmarie held the roles of Co-head of Programming, then Treasurer, and ultimately, she was asked to step into the President position. [11:46] Dawnmarie says she has seen the incredible evolution of APIW, going from 500 members to 3,500 members in 11 chapters across the U.S. with 60 corporate sponsorships. APIW has grown since the first time Dawnmarie was involved. [12:20] Dawnmarie says that in her early 40s, she went to her first Women's Leadership Conference by the Insurance Industry Charitable Foundation (IICF). There weren't a lot of events like that then. Dawnmarie was struggling to figure out what she wanted in her career. [12:50] At this Women's Leadership Conference, a woman spoke on the importance of getting involved, joining boards, and growing your network. Dawnmarie had always done that organically, but she hadn't done it thoughtfully. It was client-driven. [13:08] Dawnmarie went back to management and said that IICF board positions go to sponsor companies. She asked if Lloyd's would sponsor IICF and could she be chosen as the board member? That's where she got her first board experience. [13:24] Dawnmarie moved up and ended up Co-chair of the Boston Chapter. She learned a lot, and it prepared her for APIW. [13:41] A Quick Break! Many fantastic RIMS events are coming up in 2026. This is a last call for registration for the Second Annual RIMS Texas Regional Conference, which will be held from August 10th through the 12th at the Grand Hyatt on the San Antonio River Walk. [13:58] Visit RIMS.org/Events for registration information. The hotel cutoff date was July 10th. Reservations may still be made after the hotel cutoff date, subject to availability; however, the negotiated group rate is no longer guaranteed, so reserve now. [14:14] The 11th Annual Chicagoland Risk Forum will return to the Old Post Office on Thursday, September 24th, 2026. Visit ChicagolandRiskForum.org for more information. [14:25] The RIMS Western Regional Conference will be held from October 4th through the 7th in Seattle, Washington. The agenda is live, and registration is open. Visit RIMSWesternRegional.com and the link in this episode's show notes for more information. [14:41] Save the dates: October 18th through the 21st. We will be in Quebec City to celebrate the 50th Live RIMS Canada Conference. Booth sales are open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Advance registration is open now. [14:58] Visit RIMSCanadaConference.ca for more information. Also, remember to check out RIMS.org/Canada for our spinoff show, RIMScast Canada, hosted by National Conference Committee Chair, Aaron Lukoni. [15:13] The RIMS ERM Conference 2026 will be held on November 19th and 20th in Columbus, Ohio. Registration is now open. [15:22] Through August 21st, you can nominate a program for the RIMS ERM Global Award of Distinction. If you know of an ERM Program that is award-worthy, we want to hear about it. A link to the nomination form is in this episode's show notes. Visit RIMS.org/ERM2026. [15:41] We're already looking to RISKWORLD 2027, which will be held over four days in New Orleans, Louisiana, from April 18th through the 21st! The call for session proposals is now live and will stay active through August 21st. [15:56] RIMS members can exclusively register by September 4th for the best rate. And get first access to the hotel block. Hotel reservations open on October 28th, ahead of public registration. Sitting this out is the real risk! The link to registration is in this episode's show notes. [16:16] Let's Return to Our Interview with APIW President Dawnmarie Black! [16:40] Dawnmarie says that the importance of building relationships with communication and transparency applies to risk managers as well. [16:49] Dawnmarie says that risk managers getting to know their brokers and underwriters, building relationships, telling their story, building trust, and understanding the insurance and why a specific carrier is being suggested goes a long way if there's a claim or wording issue. [17:47] Dawnmarie says with the relationships established, with the ability to pick up the phone and say, "We need to have a conversation," you've already set the stage. [18:11] Dawnmarie says emerging risks the insurance industry needs to pay attention to in the next three to five years include addressing AI. Will AI drive margins down? We need to leverage it to do our jobs better. We can't just decide that we're simply going to depend on it. [18:37] AI exists. It's there as a tool. We need to prepare our people to be able to assess it, analyze it, understand it, and program the prompts. The best prompt writers are getting the best results. [18:56] It doesn't mean it's a perfect result, so you need the ability to communicate, analyze, and explain why the output makes sense and how it applies. [19:20] Another emerging need is for more and more data and the ability to depend on that data, using AI to help understand it and being able to explain the data to the board why they can take a larger retention, or why we need more cover in this area. [19:54] Dawnmarie talks about weather-related events. Catastrophic events aren't going away; they're getting worse. Illinois has had more convective storms this year than any other state. It's unexpected and unprepared for. [20:16] The unexpected storm volume creates a shift for the underwriters, clients, and brokers, making sure they have the data to understand what's been exposed and what's been impacted. [20:30] The models need to address these shifts. We need, as an industry, to be pushing for that: the stronger the models, the more differentiated the models we can have. [20:42] Maybe that's where AI plays a great role, helping us in the changing and adaptation. These are trends Dawnmarie watches. She is so impressed with the data that Amwins has to work with. [21:06] When you have that good data, the world opens up to capital and new strategies. It makes a big difference in where an organization will go strategically. That impacts everybody. [21:23] Sponsorships! You can sponsor a RIMScast episode for this, our weekly show, or a dedicated episode. RIMScast is proud of its longstanding relationships with AXA XL, Global Risk Consultants, Alliant, Zurich, and more. [21:44] Links to many of these episodes are in the show notes. RIMScast sponsorships can be bundled with whitepapers and webinar sponsorships. [21:52] RIMScast has a global audience of risk and insurance professionals, legal professionals, students, business leaders, C-Suite executives, and more. Let's collaborate and help you reach them! [22:05] Reach out to Ted Donovan at TDonovan@RIMS.org or reach out to Sales at Sales@RIMS.org. Let's find the best opportunity for you and your organization. [22:18] Let's Conclude Our Dialog with APIW President Dawnmarie Black! [22:54] To help make insurance careers more appealing to young professionals and career changers, Dawnmarie asks you to stop saying, "I just fell into insurance." We have a story to tell. [23:13] There is a reason someone came into this industry. It probably wasn't planned, but how they got started and why they stayed; we need to talk more about why people stay in insurance. Because they love it! It is a wonderful ecosystem for growth and travel. It's stable. [23:37] APIW just held Intern Days, one in New York, one in Chicago. This was their first year in Chicago, and about 20 people came. It was their second year in New York. About 50 came. [23:51] Dawnmarie says we do this out of our budget. There's no charge for it. We bring the interns together for four hours. They do a leadership panel, networking, and answering questions. [24:04] Dawnmarie says a lot of other associations do this. She mentions RISE Professionals. They had a terrific Leadership Conference and Gala in Florida. [24:20] That's an opportunity for young professionals to come together with very good programming around leadership. Networking with their peers and colleagues. Dressing up and going to a gala and celebrating. Dawnmarie has heard only positive feedback about that. [24:38] APIW supports RISE. RISE supports the APIW Mentorship Program. You'll see a lot of interconnectivity among the insurance associations. They partner to share great programs rather than duplicating efforts. It helps both associations. [25:01] The market in Charlotte rallies around Community Matters. There was a week-long session two weeks ago bringing in young children from under-represented communities to learn and understand about insurance. [25:20] Dawnmarie says those kinds of programs where we're reaching out to talent, not only through traditional risk management schools, but looking at non-traditional avenues and non-traditional diversity avenues, and the HBCUs. The Black Sisterhood does incredible work. [26:05] Justin gives a shoutout to the Spencer Educational Foundation. Dawnmarie says they have done such an incredible job in rallying the industry. [26:22] At the Spencer dinner, when the young professionals get up to speak, they are inspirational in their careers and their appreciation for the opportunities to come into this industry. Justin doesn't know how they found time to sleep, doing all they did while in college. [26:57] Justin and Dawnmarie discuss some of the speakers. He says, you hear these young people and wonder if they partied at all in college or were they just working on their risk management career? Justin notes there is the monetary incentive of scholarships and grants. [27:41] Dawnmarie speaks of the incredible amount of work ethic she sees in the students who have come through the Spencer Educational Foundation program. Justin says they inspire him to work a little harder. [28:08] Justin asks how we can keep the newer professionals engaged and committed to a long career. Dawnmarie says what seems to be important to them is that sense of community. [28:24] We all come to work to work, but there's also the culture that you create, the culture of trust, and the idea that there are mentorship opportunities, and more senior people in the organization looking out for you, helping propel your career and answering your questions. [28:48] Dawnmarie says that is key when you've got the younger generation, and you've got an experienced generation. In our industry, we have four or five different generations rolling through, all who come at things slightly differently. [29:03] Dawnmarie says it's about understanding where people are coming from. She speaks of investing in talent development programs and professional programs, allowing talent the opportunity to become involved in outside associations, and encouraging networking. [29:40] Dawnmarie closes this thought with the Amwins program, RTTP. They have people on the retirement track, senior brokers with books of business, and they have young people who are coming through the Broker Development Program. [30:14] Two get matched up. There's a relationship formed. The client is taken care of because there's succession planning and consistency. The two are learning from each other. The books are passed off. [30:28] There's respect for the experience that the senior broker brings to the table, and there's respect for what that young person is learning. Dawnmarie hasn't seen a lot of that across the industry. One of the things that enticed her about Amwins is that approach to the generations. [30:54] Justin says kudos to Amwins. He has met some Amwins folks at Riskworld, and they're lovely. A Justin and Dawnmarie have in common is Liz King Kramer, a former APIW President. Liz gave Justin an APIW pin. [31:18] Dawnmarie says Liz is the best! She has been mentoring Dawnmarie for over four years. Liz was Treasurer before Dawnmarie, and President before Dawnmarie. Liz helped Dawnmarie learn in both roles. She's become a terrific friend and partner. [31:42] Munich Re just hosted a Golf Day for women. Dawnmarie was on a Panel with Liz King Kramer and Sabrina Hart, and then they did a golf clinic. Liz is an incredible leader for APIW. [31:59] Dawnmarie says an APIW President's term is two years. Dawnmarie is at two years; however, she is going to extend for one more year. Then Tracey Vasile, who is an Industry Liaison and First Vice President, is going to step in. They will transition together. [32:27] The APIW is having its 50th Anniversary Gala on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, at the Edison Ballroom in Manhattan on 47th Street. Everyone's gearing up. They are working on a wonderful video. Dawnmarie says it's going to be a night to remember; everybody dress up and celebrate! [32:56] Dawnmarie says the women who are involved, chapter heads from the various cities, the 2026 Woman of the Year, 14 past Women of the Year, and Cecilia Norad, the Founder of APIW, are all coming for an incredible lineup of programming, a beautiful dinner, and a beautiful event [33:47] Dawnmarie says it's for making connections and strengthening those connections. [33:51] Dawnmarie has had the opportunity to sit as a founder on Women In Specialty and Excess (WISE), an amazing emerging organization, and it was simply too much for her between being President of APIW and being part of WISE, so she stepped back. [34:07] Dawnmarie said what it made her realize is that the professionals in this industry, it could be any of the associations, step up, look outside of their sphere, and create these opportunities for other people to connect in these associations. [34:26] Dawnmarie says when she thinks about 50 years, she thinks about all the work that has gone into standing up WISE or what Amy Cooper did with RISE, and where she's taking it. Fifty years of doing it really says a lot. [34:40] Dawnmarie says it's a time to pause and think: where are we going for our next 50? Because we're going to be here and we're going to be delivering the program, the networking, the development, and the leadership. [34:52] Dawnmarie says that is what we're excited about. We're looking at the past, the current, the future, and bringing in the young professionals; the people who helped build it and the young professionals, bridging that divide. [35:36] Dawnmarie says she has a level of comfort on stage. During COVID, she learned that she struggles with virtual presentations. [35:47] Dawnmarie used to get nervous in front of people; now she gets excited because she feels the energy in the room, she's creating the conversation, and engaging people. It is such a different experience. In a way, she's grateful for the virtual experience. It's taken away the fear. [36:12] Justin says, Dawnmarie, it has been a pleasure to connect with you here on RIMScast. A quick reminder for everyone: The APIW's 50th Anniversary Gala will be on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at the Edison Ballroom at 47th Street in Manhattan. [36:28] Justin says, Dawnmarie will be there. If you attend, please let her know that you heard this RIMScast interview, and that's what piqued your interest to get there. I look forward to seeing you at RIMS events and Spencer events, too. [36:41] Dawnmarie thanks Justin and RIMS and says, 350 of us at the Gala, maybe more. We look forward to seeing you there. [36:54] Special thanks again to Dawnmarie Black of Amwins and APIW for joining us here on RIMScast. APIW's 50th Anniversary Gala will be on November 3, 2026, at the Edison Ballroom in New York City. Visit APIW.org. [37:10] The countdown ticker for the Gala is on the page. Check it out and let them know you heard Dawnmarie on RIMSCast! [27:18] Plug Time! Become a RIMS member and get access to the tools, thought leadership, and network you need to succeed. Visit RIMS.org/membership or email membershipdept@RIMS.org for more information. [37:35] Risk Knowledge is the RIMS searchable content library that provides relevant information for today's risk professionals. Materials include RIMS executive reports, survey findings, contributed articles, industry research, benchmarking data, and more. [37:51] For the best reporting on the profession of risk management, read Risk Management Magazine at RMMagazine.com. It is written and published by the best minds in risk management. [38:05] Justin Smulison is the Business Content Manager at RIMS. Please remember to subscribe to RIMScast on your favorite podcasting app. You can email us at Content@RIMS.org. [38:17] Practice good risk management, stay safe, and thank you again for your continued support! Links: RIMS Texas Regional Conference 2026 | Aug. 10‒12 in San Antonio | Last call for registration! RIMS Certification Week: Sept. 21‒24 | Complimentary For All Spencer Educational Foundation's 2026 Funding Their Future Gala | Sept. 17, 2026 RISKWORLD 2027 Registration | RIMS members can lock in 2026 rates now through Sept. 4 | Education Content Submission Through Aug. 21. ChicagoLand Risk Forum | Sept. 24, 2026 RIMS Western Regional Conference — Oct. 4‒7, 2026 | Seattle, WA | Register Today. RIMS Canada Conference — Oct. 18‒21, 2026 | Quebec City | www.rimscanadaconference.ca | Advance Registration Open | Sponsorship Opportunities Available RIMS ERM Conference 2026 | November 19‒20 in Columbus, Ohio | Registration Now Open! | www.rims.org/ERM2026 RIMS, the Foundation for Risk Management Spencer Educational Foundation — Scholarships and Grants | Open Calls and Timelines. RIMS Now RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) | Insights Video Series Featuring Joe Milan! The Strategic and Enterprise Risk Center RIMS Diversity Equity Inclusion Council RIMS-CRMP Stories RIMScast Canada — Episodes Now Live RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMScast on YouTube! RIMS Risk Management Magazine | Contribute | Q2 2026 Issue Now Available Sponsor RIMScast — Sales@RIMS.org www.APIW.org — 50th Anniversary Gala on Nov. 3 in NYC Upcoming RIMS-CRMP Virtual Workshops: RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep Workshop — Live In NY — Aug 27‒28! RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep with PARIMA | Sept 1‒2 Full RIMS-CRMP Prep Course Schedule See the full calendar of RIMS Virtual Workshops Upcoming RIMS Webinars: RIMS.org/Webinars "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 1" | Sept 1 "RIMS Student Series: Classroom to Career Part 2" | Sept 9 RIMS Certification Week: Sept. 22‒24 | Complimentary For All Related RIMScast Episodes: "Taking on Global Leadership in Insurance with Sierra Signorelli, Spencer Funding Their Future Honoree" "Marya Propis: From Industry Leader to Talent Champion" "Giving Back with APIW President Liz Kramer" (2024) Sponsored RIMScast Episodes: "48 Hours From a Storm: What to Do Before A Hurricane Strikes" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company (New!) "AI-Scale, Risk Ready: Engineering Controls for the New Data Center Boom" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Facing Into Risk: Navigating the New Risk Landscape" (New!) | Sponsored by AXA XL "Secondary Perils, Major Risks: The New Face of Weather-Related Challenges" | Sponsored by AXA XL "The ART of Risk: Rethinking Risk Through Insight, Design, and Innovation" | Sponsored by Alliant "Mastering ERM: Leveraging Internal and External Risk Factors" | Sponsored by Diligent "Cyberrisk: Preparing Beyond 2025" | Sponsored by Alliant "The New Reality of Risk Engineering: From Code Compliance to Resilience" | Sponsored by AXA XL "Change Management: AI's Role in Loss Control and Property Insurance" | Sponsored by Global Risk Consultants, a TÜV SÜD Company "Demystifying Multinational Fronting Insurance Programs" | Sponsored by Zurich "Understanding Third-Party Litigation Funding" | Sponsored by Zurich "What Risk Managers Can Learn From School Shootings" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Simplifying the Challenges of OSHA Recordkeeping" | Sponsored by Medcor "How Insurance Builds Resilience Against an Active Assailant Attack" | Sponsored by Merrill Herzog "Third-Party and Cyber Risk Management Tips" | Sponsored by Alliant RIMS Publications, Content, and Links: RIMS Membership — Whether you are a new member or need to transition, be a part of the global risk management community! RIMS Virtual Workshops On-Demand Webinars RIMS-Certified Risk Management Professional (RIMS-CRMP) RISK PAC | RIMS Advocacy RIMS Strategic & Enterprise Risk Center RIMS-CRMP Stories — Featuring RIMS President Manny Padilla! RIMS Events, Education, and Services: RIMS Risk Maturity Model® Sponsor RIMScast: Contact sales@rims.org or pd@rims.org for more information. Want to Learn More? Keep up with the podcast on RIMS.org, and listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Have a question or suggestion? Email: Content@rims.org. Join the Conversation! Follow @RIMSorg on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. About our guest: Dawnmarie Black, Senior Vice President and Client Relationship Manager at Amwins President of the Association of Professional Insurance Women (APIW) Production and engineering provided by Podfly.
Why can a capable ADHD professional know exactly what needs to be done—and still find it incredibly difficult to begin? In this conversation, Cathy Rashidian speaks with Brendan Mahan, MEd, MS, author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful, about the emotional barriers that can build around work we have struggled with before. A report, email, decision or difficult conversation may look straightforward from the outside. Internally, that task may be carrying frustration, uncertainty, shame, fear of failure or memories of previous struggles. In this episode, we explore: What can be hiding inside a seemingly simple task such as sending an email How repeated struggles contribute to the Wall of Awful Why caring deeply about the outcome can sometimes make beginning harder The difference between activating under pressure and performing well under pressure How urgency, anxiety, frustration and anger can become a damaging way to smash through the wall What it means to put a door in the wall or climb it How skills, resources and expectations affect workplace performance What leaders often miss when they move straight into problem-solving Questions to ask yourself when you are staring at your own Wall of Awful Brendan Mahan is an internationally recognized ADHD and executive-function expert, host of the ADHD Essentials Podcast and author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful.
What happens when becoming a parent changes the way you see your health, your priorities, and your future? In this special episode of Conquer the Day, we share an honest update on our pregnancy journey as we enter the second trimester. From finding out that we're having a baby girl to navigating changing routines, workouts, emotions, and mindset, we reflect on how this season is reshaping not only our lives, but also our perspective on leadership, family, and what truly matters. We also discuss the best (and worst) pregnancy advice we've received, how Lindsey has adapted her training and nutrition, and the lessons we're already learning about becoming parents. Whether you're expecting a child, hoping to start a family one day, or simply navigating a season of major life change, this conversation is a reminder that growth often happens through the transitions we don't fully control. HIGHLIGHTS:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 18,500 professional tailors, dressmakers and seamstresses in 2024. That’s a 30% drop from a decade before. The median age for the profession is 54, and unlike other skilled labor industries, not enough young people are filling in for those who are retiring. What are the challenges of this work and why don’t more young people want to do it? To answer these questions and more we are joined by two professional sewists in Oregon. Stephanie Mendes is the owner of Love Stephanie Apparel and is an instructor at the Portland Fashion Institute. Mackinley James is known as the Fibrarian and is based in Portland.
Fall camp is one of the most demanding seasons in college athletics—not just for athletes and coaches, but for player development professionals as well.In this episode of The Player Development Pod, Edward Jones II shares a practical survival guide for navigating the intensity of fall camp. From supporting athletes through physical and mental challenges to managing expectations, relationships, and daily chaos, this episode is designed to help player development professionals make their greatest impact when their programs need them most.Whether you're entering your first fall camp or your fifteenth, you'll walk away with practical strategies to lead with excellence, care for your athletes, support your coaching staff, and avoid burnout yourself.In this episode you'll learn:Why fall camp is one of the most important opportunities for player development.How to earn trust with athletes during stressful moments.The role of player development when emotions and pressure are at their highest.Practical ways to support coaches without becoming another problem they have to solve.Daily habits that will help you survive—and thrive—through camp.Why your presence during fall camp can shape the culture of your program for the entire season.If you're a Director of Player Development, Director of Student-Athlete Development, football operations professional, coach, or aspiring player development professional, this episode is for you.Subscribe to The Player Development Pod for weekly conversations, strategies, and insights that help you develop people and elevate programs.Want to go deeper?Grab your copy of The Player Development Guide for practical frameworks, strategies, and tools to build a world-class player development program.Get YOUR SIGNED copy of the Beyond The Field Player Development Guide: https://forms.gle/AJozwnjEw4UHNaH29Player Development Newsletter: https://substack.com/@btfprogramComplete the BEYOND Framework Assessment https://forms.gle/CC6DoBQGF8UkJj5h6
Every morning (or afternoon or evening) feels like just one long stream of complaints. Breakfast isn't right, the bowl isn't right, SOMETHING is always not right, and no matter what gets fixed, it's never right enough.^That perfectly describes a nervous system stuck in protection mode. This week's episode explores how and why nervous systems get stuck and practical ways you can help- even when NOTHING you do seems to help. In this episode you will learn:Why your child's reaction is almost never about the thing they're reacting toWhat it means for the past to show up as a "tsunami" in the present momentThree simple places to start dropping in more felt safety today, even before anything else changesNext month in The Club we're hosting a workshop so we can all get together, pull out the Grow Your Child's Owl Brain with Cues of Safety workbook, and make a real plan for how to increase safety in your child's stream of the NOW - which eventually does calm the tsunami in the stream of the pastResources mentioned in this podcast:Why Sticky Behaviors Stay Stuck (Part 1 of 3)→ RobynGobbel.com/stickybehaviors1All Behavior Makes Sense → RobynGobbel.com/allbehaviormakessenseRead the full transcript at: RobynGobbel.com/cuesofsafetyImmersion Program for Professionals!The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals is NOW accepting applications for our 2027 cohorts. You MUST be on the waiting list to be eligible to apply so head to RobynGobbel.com/Immersion and put your name on the waiting list! Grab a copy of USA Today Best Selling book Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors robyngobbel.com/bookJoin us in The Club for more support! robyngobbel.com/TheClubSign up on the waiting list for the 2027 Cohorts of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute's Immersion Program for Professionals robyngobbel.com/ImmersionFollow Me On:FacebookInstagramOver on my website you can find:Webinar and eBook on Focus on the Nervous System to Change Behavior (FREE)eBook on The Brilliance of Attachment (FREE)LOTS & LOTS of FREE ResourcesOngoing support, connection, and co-regulation for struggling parents: The ClubYear-Long Immersive & Holistic Training Program for Parenting Professionals: The Baffling Behavior Training Institute's (BBTI) Professional Immersion Program (formerly Being With)
Send us Fan MailWe're living through one of the fastest periods of workplace transformation in modern history. AI is reshaping jobs, layoffs have become a recurring reality, and many professionals are quietly asking themselves a question they never expected to ask:Can I keep working like this?In this episode of FUTUREPROOF., Jeremy Goldman sits down with DJ DiDonna, senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and author of BIG TIME OFF, to explore why stepping away from work may become one of the most important career strategies of the AI era.Drawing on years of research and hundreds of conversations with professionals who have taken extended breaks, DJ argues that sabbaticals aren't simply about recovering from burnout—they're about creating the space to rethink your work, your priorities, and your future before someone else makes that decision for you.Together, they discuss:How AI and rapid technological change are making career reinvention a continuous process. Why layoffs and unexpected career interruptions can become opportunities for reflection instead of just setbacks. The surprising competitive advantage that comes from intentionally creating time to think. How organizations can build cultures that prioritize long-term resilience instead of perpetual exhaustion. This isn't just a conversation about taking time off. It's about whether we've built a definition of career success that's no longer fit for the future—and what it might look like to replace it with something more sustainable.
Choosing a Trustee: Why Naming Your Kid May Be a Mistake — Marguerite Lorenz Short answer: Naming your child as trustee, executor, or agent under your power of attorney is the default choice for most American families — and it is frequently the wrong one. In this episode of Wealth Actually, host Frazer Rice talks with California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and Master Certified Independent Trustee Marguerite Lorenz about why roughly two-thirds of American adults still have no estate plan, why the job of a trustee is far more intimate and technical than families expect, and how to decide between a family trustee, a bank or trust company, and an independent professional trustee. https://youtu.be/56bzuORe8YI Episode Overview: Who Will Actually Run Your Plan? Most estate planning conversations stop at the documents. Marguerite Lorenz argues the documents are the easy part. The hard part is staffing — deciding who steps in when you can no longer make new decisions, and whether that person can absorb the technical, financial, and emotional weight of the job. Lorenz has served as trustee, executor, agent under power of attorney for finance, and agent for health care for hundreds of families since 2003. She is the author of three books — Luck or Control? The Life-Improving Power of Estate Planning, How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old, and the newly updated Ethics for Trustees 2.0 — and she is Vice-Chair of the Independent Trustee Alliance. Her framing line, and the one that should stick with every listener: “If you don’t get your estate plan done, you’re suing your family. You’re making them go to court. And who would want to make anyone else go to court?”— Marguerite Lorenz This is the second time Marguerite has joined the show. Her first appearance covered the mechanics of individual trusteeship: EP.75 — Individual Trusteeship with Marguerite Lorenz. Key Takeaways •Only about a third of American adults have any written estate plan — and Lorenz argues half of those plans would not actually function when needed. •Professionals are barely better than the public. When Lorenz polls rooms of attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, roughly one-third raise their hands for a complete, up-to-date, ready-to-go plan. •The trustee role is intimate, not administrative. A trustee sees your paperwork, your bills, your medications, and your bedroom. “Who is going to be the first person in your bedroom when you are no longer able to make new decisions?” •Incapacity, not death, is the long tail. Many people live for five or six years unable to make new decisions. The trustee’s job often runs during your lifetime, not just after it. •A professional trustee can be temporary. Lorenz recounts stepping in for a client during cancer treatment, providing a full accounting, and stepping back down when he recovered — then serving again after his death. Would your child step back down? •Estate planning is about preferences, not predictions. “Our power in estate planning is not prediction, it’s setting our preferences” — and preferences can only be set while you are competent. •Quality of life belongs in the plan. Not just tax, legal, and financial terms — but how you want to live, where you want to live, and what small things matter (for Lorenz, an international selection of dark chocolate). •Digital assets are now a core trustee problem. Phones, social accounts, and daily transactions all require someone with access and authority. •A will does nothing while you are alive. “The will doesn’t operate at all if you go to the hospital and you haven’t granted authority to anyone.” •Cost is usually overestimated. Both an estate plan and an independent professional trustee typically cost far less than probate court. •Revisit every five years. Calendar a five-year check-in with your attorney to review law changes, marriages, divorces, births, and deaths. Chapters and Timestamps •[00:00] Cold open: “If you don’t get your estate plan done, you’re suing your family.” •[00:32] Welcome back — introducing Marguerite Lorenz, California trustee and author •[01:14] Luck or Control? — why fear keeps families from finishing an estate plan •[02:22] What a full-time trustee actually sees: trustee, executor, agent for finance, agent for health care •[03:49] Why families default to naming a child — and where that breaks down •[05:00] The skill set nobody screens for: negotiation, calm, empathy, and grief •[05:40] Case study: serving as temporary trustee through a client’s cancer treatment — and stepping back down •[07:51] Why even attorneys need their own attorney: nobody is objective about their own circumstances •[09:09] The five-year estate plan check-in as a life milestone •[09:39] How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old — living well to the very end •[10:20] The “black box” problem: privacy, dignity, and care in your own home •[11:54] Preferences over predictions — planning for your future vulnerable self •[13:40] Rewriting an advance health care directive after hundreds of hospital bedsides •[16:13] The statistics: only a third of adults — and only a third of professionals — are actually ready •[17:47] Frazer’s challenge to advisors: you can’t advise well if you aren’t practicing what you preach •[18:22] The first question in Luck or Control?: “Hey professional, do you have your estate plan done?” •[19:21] Ethics for Trustees 2.0 — what’s new in the updated audio and PDF edition •[20:27] Family trustee vs. bank trustee vs. independent professional trustee •[21:52] The looming crisis: the great wealth transfer, incapacity, and digital assets •[24:54] Documenting the “why” behind hard trustee decisions •[25:23] Probate courts overrun, bioethics committees, and next-of-kin defaults •[26:54] Where to find the books, the podcast, and the Independent Trustee Alliance directory About the Guest: Marguerite Lorenz, MCIT, CLPF Marguerite Lorenz is a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary (CLPF #319) and a Master Certified Independent Trustee (MCIT). She has served as Trustee, Executor, Agent for Finance, and Agent for Health Care for more than 200 families since 2003 as managing partner of Lorenz Private Trustees. Marguerite is Vice-Chair of the Board of the Independent Trustee Alliance, past Chair of the California Professional Fiduciaries Bureau Advisory Committee, and host of the Plan For This podcast. She is the author of Luck or Control? The Life-Improving Power of Estate Planning, How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old, and Ethics for Trustees 2.0. About the Host: Frazer Rice Frazer Rice is the author of Wealth, Actually: Intelligent Decision-Making for the 1% and host of the Wealth Actually podcast, where he interviews experts, entrepreneurs, and commentators on preserving assets and enjoying wealth. Resources and Links Mentioned •PlanForThis.com — Marguerite’s books, the Plan For This podcast, and a free First Steps toolkit. Ethics for Trustees 2.0 is now exclusive to this site (audio + PDF bundled with purchase). •TrusteeAlliance.com — the Independent Trustee Alliance directory for locating certified independent trustees by state. •Marguerite Lorenz on LinkedIn •California Professional Fiduciaries Bureau — state licensing for professional fiduciaries •Related episode: EP.75 — Individual Trusteeship with Marguerite Lorenz •Related episode: What If You Are Named in a Will or Trust? Frequently Asked Questions Should I name my child as trustee? Not automatically. A child understands the family but may lack the technical skill to handle tax, legal, financial, and medical decisions — and may be grieving or in conflict with siblings at the exact moment judgment is required. Marguerite Lorenz notes that a trustee must be a good negotiator, stay calm under pressure, set aside personal feelings, and enforce rules the grantor set. She also raises a test most families never consider: if you recover, would your child voluntarily step back down and hand you a full accounting? What is the difference between a family trustee, a corporate trustee, and an independent trustee? A family trustee is a relative or friend serving in a personal capacity, usually unpaid and untrained. A corporate trustee is a bank or trust company with institutional infrastructure, minimum account sizes, and staff turnover. An independent professional trustee is a licensed or certified individual — like a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary — who serves full-time, carries a succession plan, and can often be engaged at a lower cost than families expect. The Independent Trustee Alliance maintains a national directory of independent trustees. What does a trustee actually do while I am still alive? A trustee acting during incapacity manages assets, accounts for every dollar, handles taxation, pays bills, coordinates care, and increasingly manages digital assets such as phone-based transactions and social media accounts. Lorenz emphasizes that many people live for five or six years unable to make new decisions, so the trustee’s lifetime role is often longer and more demanding than the post-death administration. How often should I update my estate plan? Roughly every five years, or sooner after a major life event such as marriage, divorce, birth, death, a liquidity event, or a change in tax law. Lorenz recommends putting a five-year reminder in your phone to call your attorney and ask what has changed in the law and in your life. What happens if I go to the hospital without an estate plan? The hospital and its bioethics committee will do the best they can and will look for next of kin to make decisions for you — potentially people with whom you have never discussed your personal wishes. A will does not help here, because a will only operates after death. Financial and health care powers of attorney are what grant someone authority while you are alive. Is an estate plan expensive? Usually less than people assume, and materially less than probate court. Lorenz makes the same point about professional trustees: “Independent individual professional trustees cost a lot less than you think also. And you need to ask, because this is your life we’re talking about.” Do financial professionals have their own estate plans? Often not. When Lorenz polls audiences of attorneys, CPAs, and financial advisors, only about a third report having a complete, up-to-date, ready-to-go plan — barely better than the general public. Her challenge to the profession is that clients will increasingly ask advisors directly: “Do you have your estate plan completed?” Pull Quotes “Our power in estate planning is not prediction, it’s really about setting our preferences.” “Who’s going to be the first person in your bedroom when you are no longer able to make new decisions?” “I’m not in charge. I’m a servant-manager.” “Once I get my estate plan done and updated, I don’t think about it anymore. My head space is so clear because everything I was worried about has been thought about, considered, allowed, and put down in writing.” Full Transcript Transcript lightly edited for clarity. Timestamps are approximate. [00:00] Marguerite Lorenz: You know, if you don’t get your estate plan done, you’re suing your family. You’re making them go to court, right? And who would want to make anyone else go to court? [00:08] Announcer: Welcome back to the Wealth Actually podcast, the show that features experts, entrepreneurs, and commentators that will give you the right knowledge, planning, and guidance so you can preserve your assets and enjoy your wealth. Learn more and subscribe today at wealthactually.com. This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not investment, legal, nor tax advice and does not represent the opinion of the employers of the host or guests. [00:32] Frazer Rice: Welcome back. Friend of the podcast Marguerite Lorenz is on the podcast this week. She’s a California trustee and has a new book called Luck or Control? out. We’re going to talk a little bit about fiduciary matters and what it takes to have good staffing within your estate plan. Welcome back, Marguerite. [00:54] Marguerite Lorenz: Thank you, Frazer. [00:55] Frazer Rice: Since the last time you were on, you have a couple of books out and we’ve gotten to see each other a couple of times with the Independent Trustee Alliance. Let’s talk a little bit about the new book that you just published and what you’re trying to do with it. [01:14] Marguerite Lorenz: So that book is Luck or Control? The Life-Improving Power of Estate Planning. And I wrote it because I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of families really struggle with how this is going to get done, and many people don’t get their estate plan done at all because they’re so afraid. They don’t know what to expect, they don’t want to talk about their mortality, they don’t want to have serious conversations with their loved ones. And if we don’t have those conversations, we really lose all control when we need it the most — when that medical crisis happens or when life changes in a big way. [01:52] Frazer Rice: No question about it. And I went through the book and it’s an important read, because for those people who really have to get their affairs in order and feel stuck for some reason, I think you do a good job of laying out why you need to get unstuck and then how to take a couple of steps to initiate those conversations and get the important things down so that you can then have the deeper conversations that help out later on as you’re structuring things. What part of your experience being a full-time trustee helped to inform all of this? [02:22] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, as a trustee professionally, I’ve met with lots of different families in lots of different circumstances. And for many of them they’ve named me, and so I’m serving in that role. It’s not just trustee; it’s trustee, executor, agent on the power of attorney for finance, and even as agent for health care. And so that’s a very intimate job. It’s a job where you end up seeing someone’s entire life, or as much as you can of another person — their paperwork, how they do things, how they pay their bills, how they live, what medications they take. It’s really very intimate. And I think a lot of us assume that our children know us and they’ll do what we want them to do. But the thing is that it’s very likely you haven’t lived with your children in the same household for decades. And now you’re asking them to come back, drop their life, and come in and be that person for you. Be the person who’s going to protect your privacy, be that person who’s going to protect the way you want to live. And they may disagree with the way you want to live. They may actually have issues with some of the choices that you’ve made or how you’ve proceeded. So now, in addition to having a medical challenge where you’re not able to make new decisions — maybe temporarily, maybe permanently — now you have someone who wants to run the show or actually be in charge. In my job as a professional trustee, I’m not in charge. I’m a servant-manager. I’m really taking the trustor’s wishes and how they’ve structured things and really looking at that to be sure that I can continue it as best I can with all the changes that have occurred. [03:49] Frazer Rice: One of the things we were talking about before we got on board, and something we’ve discussed generally through the Independent Trustee Alliance, is that people who are asked to serve in those roles usually are family members. And for people who are uninitiated in the field, that seems like an obvious choice, because they’re really trying to put somebody in there who understands the family. But as you and I know, they may not be necessarily qualified to deal with the technicalities of the different roles that we just discussed. But also, the idea of taking on the emotional toll of these new conditions can be something different and unapproachable for many people. [04:30] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, I think it helps to kind of look at some of those issues. So you might have more than one child. Even if you have an only child, these issues apply. And now you’ve been in the hospital and you’re expecting this person to deal with your tax, legal, financial, and medical decisions. This person has to be a good negotiator. This person has to be calm when there’s issues that arise, and they may have feelings — they may be grieving that things have changed for themselves and in their relationship with you. So I think to be really empathetic and to be really kind and compassionate, we have to get our own stuff in order so that we can really have a good experience for our last days. And again, some of these roles that I’ve served in have been temporary. Let me give you an example. I worked with a gentleman whose wife had passed away because of cancer. She had been gone about two years and he himself was diagnosed with cancer. So he already knew what that might be like, right? She had already had chemotherapy; he was right there with her through all of that experience. Well, now faced with it himself, he said, “In order for me to do this, I don’t have a partner. I need somebody who’s going to deal with the business of my life so that I can focus on my health.” He named me as his trustee. I became active. I reported to him because he was still able to receive those reports. He was certainly mentally able, but physically it was really hard. He was exhausted most of the time. And he was going to grief support for the loss of his wife and going to chemotherapy treatments. So you can imagine just how full his day was. So we’re into this two years. He met a woman at grief support. He was feeling better because the treatment worked, and he decided he wanted to travel the world before he died. And he married this woman, and they were very happy together. And he asked if he could be trustee again. So — I’m a professional trustee. It’s part of my duty to step back and step down when the trustor who wants to be trustee again wants that job back. So I gave him a full report, he had an accounting, he knew exactly what had happened during my term. He went on with his life, and then he passed away and I became trustee again. So I just wanted people to know that it could be temporary. It’s not necessarily a permanent job. Would your child step back down? [07:14] Frazer Rice: No question. Once in the role, sometimes it’s difficult to get out of it. But you did the right thing in terms of getting an accounting, making sure that your duties stopped when you were told to get off, and then when you were ready to come back on, that those sightlines are very clear. And that’s what comes with talking to a professional like you. You understand those parts so that you’re not having things bleed from one role into another and having liability issues or misunderstandings with the next generation. [07:51] Marguerite Lorenz: Right. And let’s talk about working with professionals from the beginning. We don’t know what we don’t know. And even attorneys need to go to an attorney to get their estate plan done. There may be attorneys who disagree with that, but none of us can be truly objective about our own circumstance. And we need someone who’s going to ask us some tough questions and really help us figure out: what is our intention? How do we feel about this? What’s important to us? So, getting my own estate plan done — I was a single mom in a new profession. I had just become a fiduciary and I had just learned about estate planning. I was learning so much at that time and realized, every time I drive on the freeway, I’m risking my children’s future. I’m their only parent. What can I do about that? So estate planning isn’t just about money, and it isn’t just about death. It’s also about taking an inventory. What do I have? What have I accomplished? Who do I love? What do I really care about? And once we get to have those kinds of conversations, our whole perspective on life improves. And I’ve used my own estate plan, every time I’ve gone to update it, as sort of a milestone check — where am I now? [09:09] Frazer Rice: Maybe the standard procedure is every five years to check in and make sure that life has not advanced as far as divorce, deaths, new kids, marriages, things like that, to make sure that the plan is in place. And it’s a great milestone to reflect on things. And then, as we move up the ladder wealth-wise, if there are changes in tax laws and things like that, it’s important to make sure that the plan understands that change and is able to accommodate what’s going on on that front. Let’s take that as a segue. You have another book that you came out with, How to Be a 90-Year-Old — or a well-functioning 90-year-old. [09:36] Marguerite Lorenz: How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old. [09:39] Frazer Rice: More than well-functioning — actually successful. How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old. I have not read that yet, so tell us a little bit about what’s going on there. [09:47] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, I want everyone to have that blue ribbon feeling at the end of their lives. And I picked 90 because I have had clients that have reached a grand old age of over 100. My last client passed at 105. So it is possible to live well until the very end. And I’ve been working with people for over 20 years that are much older than me, who have lots of wisdom and experience to share. Their stories are important. So for people that are serving as trustee — whether you’re a family member trustee or you’re a professional — this book might be helpful, because I actually talk about the relationships with those clients. And I also talk about some things we could do now so that life is simpler, better, and more comfortable when we might need some help. And that’s another barrier that a lot of us have. We have this barrier to having someone come into our home and help us. Our home is our sanctuary, it’s our private space. But I want everyone who’s listening right now to just think about it: who’s going to be the first person in your bedroom when you are no longer able to make new decisions? And do you want that person to see everything that might be in your bedroom? Many, many adults have what I call a black box. We have something that’s private that really, really we keep to ourselves. But everything gets exposed once you are not able to care for yourself. So then what? Well, many people want to stay in their home no matter what, as long as possible. So imagine, if you will — some of my clients have lived in the same home for 30, 40, 50 years. And now they have to get care. Can we arrange to have that care in their home? So this exploration is really about living well to the very end. There are some really great tips, things I’ve learned from my 90-plus-year-old clients that I’ve employed and deployed for myself. [11:23] Frazer Rice: Just as an example there — I’m a ripe old age of 53 shortly. The idea of getting things in place while you’re at the peak of your powers, and you don’t have the difficult decision of having the car keys taken from you, or being in a home that isn’t appropriate for you anymore, meaning you don’t have the necessary safeguards for showers and stairs and things like that. Do you get into that, as far as trying to look five years ahead to make sure that the things that you can do now in a more comfortable environment take place before maybe the emergency happens and then all of a sudden we say, “Oh my gosh, we’ve got to do a complete overhaul here”? [11:54] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, as you know, Frazer, our power in estate planning is not prediction, it’s really about setting our preferences. And if we don’t do that while we feel good, while we’re competent, while we’re thinking clearly, we don’t get a chance to express that or do that once we’ve lost our competence. So this is really important — that I’m thinking about my future vulnerable self. I’ll give you a small example for me personally: dark chocolate is part of my life. I like having an international selection of dark chocolate and I don’t want the same kind every day. I feel the nuances and the taste and the flavors; it’s important to me. For some people that might be wine, for other people it might be fine literature. It really depends on what you’re into. Well, our estate plan can be just about tax, legal, and financial stuff, but it really should be more. It should be about our quality of life. And that’s really what I’m instructing and what I’m talking about in a very warm, personal way in How to Be a Successful 90-Year-Old. And even in Luck or Control?, I want people to understand the function of the documents. So we talk about the documents and what they’re supposed to do to assist your person. But you have to have a person. And you might choose to have a trust company or a bank serve as your trustee, you might have a family member, you might have an individual like me — an independent trustee. You can find more independent trustees at the Independent Trustee Alliance. But the point is: how do I want to live? Who do I want to have help me? What does that help look like? Well, you might not know all the answers right now, but if you begin now, your eyes open to different possibilities. I’ll give you an example: I have visited lots of hospitals. I’ve been to people’s bedsides many, many times. I’ve learned that there are certain procedures I’m just not willing to go through. So in my mind I had to update my advance health care directive to basically say: this shell that I’m in, the case I walk around in, the machine that I live in, needs to be kept alive long enough so that my boys can say goodbye. And that’s not for me, that’s for them. But I don’t want it to go on interminably. [15:00] Marguerite Lorenz: So I’m pretty specific in my documents about what I want. So I’m hoping to help people have a little perspective — use that energy you have, use the power that you have right now to make decisions for yourself, and allow yourself the opportunity to update your estate planning documents from time to time, so that what you learn goes into your documents, and what you decide and what your intention is, is clear. [15:23] Frazer Rice: One of those points that you bring up that I think is important is that you can be a really good user of professional services with some forethought. To muse a little bit about what the end of life looks like is somewhat an unpleasant thought, if you feel like you’ve got less than your full faculties and that ends up being your future. But thinking about that and putting some planning around it, and real ideas about what you want others to take away from your end of life, in many ways I think is a great way to really get the documents put in place and reduce tension and questioning later, and any ambiguity that there might have been ahead of time. [16:13] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, that’s the thing too that we don’t necessarily consider when we avoid estate planning. And I’m talking to all the professionals who listen to you, Frazer. The percentage of professionals who have their estate plans completed might be just a little bit more than the average person, but only a third of American adults have any kind of written plan — and I would argue that half of them are not really going to work. And when I speak to professional groups — attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors and so on — I get that same raise of hands: only about a third of them have a complete, up-to-date, ready-to-go estate plan. Why do I need it ready to go? Because I don’t know what’s going to happen or when. So yes, it is hard to contemplate the end of our lives; it’s not something we want to think about. But how do you stop thinking about it? How do you stop worrying about it? You do everything you can about it right now, and then you set it aside. And our cell phones are so powerful that I can put in my calendar five years from now to call my attorney and ask if anything’s changed in the law, and to consider then if I need to think about anything that might have changed in my life that I want to update. So once I get my estate plan done and updated, I don’t think about it anymore. I’m so relieved. My head space is so clear, because everything I was worried about has been thought about, considered, allowed, and put down in writing. And now I don’t worry anymore. [17:47] Frazer Rice: I scolded a group of financial professionals I was giving a talk to. I asked probably a similar question, which was: how many of you have your estate plan documents up to date? And they all shot up, out of shame. I said, “How many of you have looked at them within the last two years?” And then that shot down to about a third, maybe less. I just said, “Shame on you.” People are looking to you for help on these things and you’re not leading by example. And so — point taken, and not just the trusts and estates lawyers, but for everybody else around the ecosystem. To not go through that exercise yourself — you can’t possibly advise correctly if you’re not practicing what you’re preaching. [18:22] Marguerite Lorenz: Well, here’s my challenge, and here’s my challenge to every professional in our mutual space: bank trust officers, administrators, paralegals, everybody. In Luck or Control? and on planforthis.com, which is where you can find my books and get a free First Steps toolkit, the first question is, “Hey professional, do you have your estate plan done?” It’s the first question. Why? Because I want to be sure I’m dealing with somebody who has some empathy for the emotional decisions I’m going to have to make. I want someone on my team that understands what this feels like — not just the wise, tax-smart decisions that they made. It’s a whole package. And so I’m putting it out there and I’m saying: I’m challenging everyone in our mutual space. Make sure you have your estate plan done, because more and more clients are going to be asking you, “Do you have your estate plan completed?” [19:21] Frazer Rice: So then let’s talk about your third book, which is sort of an update — and we talked about it in the previous podcast that we did a while ago, and I’ll have that in there — which is Ethics for Trustees. What’s in the update? I know it’s now in an audio version, which I haven’t sampled yet but I’m sure it’s really good. What’s new now versus when it first came out? [19:54] Marguerite Lorenz: So I’ve simplified it a bit, because I recognize that each of us can look up the probate code for the state that we live in, and it was really much more of a California-specific book. Look, I’m a California Licensed Professional Fiduciary and I’m also a Master Certified Independent Trustee. So having the audiobook, and also having it in PDF form, I think is very helpful for people so they can make notes, take a certain page with them. And the book now is exclusively available at planforthis.com. And when you purchase it, you’re getting both the audio and the PDF version. [20:27] Frazer Rice: Cool. Well, we’ll make sure that’s in the show notes. Let’s take the last little bit of time we have here and talk about the decision to have an individual trustee — and by individual, I mean family trustee — versus a more professional trustee, whether it’s an individual or a bank trustee. You and I sort of nod our heads in agreement every time we talk on this topic, and I’ve done podcasts with others where I feel this looming crisis is coming, where people put all these documents together in trusts and then they staff them with people who may be initially qualified, barely, but then six months after the ink is dried, their interest wanes, their technical capability wanes, life intervenes, something different happens — and the problems just multiply at that point. I guess my big question is — and from the Independent Trustee Alliance, where there is a group of people who can operate as a trustee without having to go to a bank — how bad do you think this problem could get? We have this great wealth transfer and we have a lot of assets shifting, not just from the ultra-high-net-worth but regular people shifting to the next generation, with people at the wheel of these structures that I don’t think really understand what’s going on. How bad could this get? [21:52] Marguerite Lorenz: In my view, we’re not just dealing with a transfer of wealth — because that’s where a lot of people focus. Where’s the money going, right? It’s going from one generation who died and then the money’s going to the next generation. But in that interim — and by the way, many people live for years unable to make new decisions for themselves. So it’s during their lifetime that they might need their trustee to step in, not just after they die. And that’s really important to consider: that you might need someone for five or six years when you need someone to make decisions. What kind of decisions? You have digital assets, you have your social media accounts, you might be doing transactions on your phone all day every day — but someone else will need to get into your phone to actually do those things, maybe. Is that somebody you want from your family to do that for you? Maybe you still say yes. But that family member has to have the ability to enforce the rules that you’ve set in your trust. They need to communicate really well with other people. And they have to set aside their own feelings. They have to put you first. And that’s a big challenge. So when you think about the word fiduciary — and I know that the financial industry has used the word a lot — the technical aspect of that is that I’m putting my needs aside and putting that trustor, that person who created the trust, their needs first. Then I also have to consider their beneficiaries and the future of those beneficiaries. So I’m dealing with transactions and having to account for every single penny of where the funds are now and where they’re going, what the assets are, what the character of those assets are. I have to deal with all the taxation that goes with that. I have to manage those assets. So that’s one set of skills, right? But then there’s the softer skills about communicating with other people and understanding their doubts and their concerns, and not taking that personally, and putting things in writing. So this is a big job. It’s not the simple job that it might have been at one point, where someone just wrote a will on their cocktail napkin and said, “Okay, I’m leaving you all my money.” The will doesn’t operate at all if you go to the hospital and you haven’t granted authority to anyone to be that person for you, to go to your house, get you some clean underwear and socks and bring it to the hospital for you. So I think we have to look at our lives as more complex. It’s not just driving a car; it’s deciding where that car goes, and if the car is maintained, and is the car clean, and can we have other people in the car with you? There are just so many decisions that I’ve had to make for other people that I don’t take any of this lightly — and nor should anyone who’s writing their estate plan. You need that attorney to ask you those questions and walk you through your day-to-day, so you can keep your day-to-day as long as possible. [24:54] Frazer Rice: Well, the other part too is the people who assume those roles — and I’ve been in it too — when you are asked to make tough choices, sometimes you have to make tough choices that favor one person over another, and you may be called to account for that. And the idea of keeping diligent records and writing — in a sense putting down the reasoning behind what you’re doing and making sure that everyone, to the extent it’s possible, understands the why of what’s happening — I think that is going to help people really save themselves some issues going forward when those tough choices have to be made. [25:23] Marguerite Lorenz: You know, if you don’t get your estate plan done, you’re suing your family. [25:27] Frazer Rice: Ah — good way to put it. [25:29] Marguerite Lorenz: You’re making them go to court, right? And who would want to make anyone else go to court? I mean, it’s just such a sad thing. And by the way, our courts are overrun with people that did no planning. And none of it happens quickly. So if you end up hospitalized and you haven’t selected a person, then the hospital and their bioethics committee is going to do the best they can. They’re going to ask for next of kin to make decisions for you — people that you may never have discussed your personal life with now have to be making decisions for you. So I’m asking people to be a little more proactive. I know you’re busy. I know it costs money to get an estate plan — probably less than you think, and certainly less than probate court would cost. A lot less than probate court would cost. Independent individual professional trustees cost a lot less than you think also. And you need to ask, because this is your life we’re talking about. I’m good. I have my plan, I keep up to date with my successors. I have a succession plan that’s worked beautifully. I’ve tested it. I know. And that’s why I can be so calm and so confident everywhere I go in my life. I’m feeling so good and so happy. Well, I want that for everyone. I want everyone to have that calm, true confidence that comes with knowing you’ve done everything you possibly can for yourself and the people you love. [26:54] Frazer Rice: Terrific. Marguerite, how do people get the books? How do people find you and your podcast, the Independent Trustee Alliance, and any other points of contact? [27:04] Marguerite Lorenz: Great, thank you. So planforthis.com is where you can find the books, where you can find me. We do have a podcast that has some wonderful discussions, case studies, and other topics to help people better understand the choices that they have. The Independent Trustee Alliance has a wonderful directory to find all kinds of professionals, but especially independent trustees, and you can find that at trusteealliance.com. And I’m going to be out there — I’m on LinkedIn. Come find me, connect with me. And Frazer, once again, thank you so much for the opportunity to visit with you. [27:40] Frazer Rice: Oh, it’s always great to get your expertise. And you bring a great sense of empathy to what can be a very technical and dollar-driven process. And I think the empathy, when it gets avoided or missed, there’s something really lost. So I really value your perspective on it. Thank you so much. [28:00] Announcer: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not investment, legal, nor tax advice and does not represent the opinions of the employers of the host or guest. Subscribe to Wealth Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube or wherever you listen — and if this episode was useful, share it with the person you have named in your documents. https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Actually-Intelligent-Decision-Making-1-ebook/dp/B07FPQJJQT/
Barry Strauss shifts the conflict to the western coast of Greece, where Antony and Cleopatra's massive fleet waits at Actium. Strauss emphasizes that while tactics are for amateurs, logistics are for professionals. Marcus Agrippa executes a brilliant logistical strike by capturing Methone, a vital supply base on the southwestern coast of Greece. This amphibious landing, conducted under the cover of a quarter moon, cuts Antony's essential supply line from Egypt. Antony, stationed further north at Patrae, fails to react effectively to this "one-two punch." While Agrippa disrupts the rear, Octavian moves his fleet north of Actium, effectively trapping Antony's forces. Strauss notes the strangeness of Antony's decision to wait for the enemy rather than invading Italy, suggesting he may have lost his nerve or been constrained by the propaganda risk Cleopatra posed. (5)